Angel of mine series
by Deyse
Summary: Can love be a gift only reserved to human beings, or are angels allowed to have this blessing too?
1. Unexpected feelings

Angel of mine series Episode 1: Unexpected feelings

The perfume of thousands of coloured flowers was quickly spread by the wind in that open green field, filling up the air with a sweet fragrance that could be felt at a distance. The singing of the birds was turned into a soft melody that broke the silence of those vast lands and their flight across the bluest of the skies was precisely coordinated, adding even more colour to what looked like a beautiful painting made by Mother Nature.

That small piece of Heaven was actually known by few and visited by small groups of friends once in a while, especially during the spring and summer. But what those scarce visitors did not know was that those magnificent mountains that seemed to caress the sky also served as a shelter for God's angels whenever they were walking on Earth either as their creator's messengers or merely when they want to contemplate His wonderful creations.

Walking along that lovely garden, a beautiful auburn lady looked around her with a contented smile upon her meek face. Barefoot and wearing a long flowered dress, Monica was in her human form but anyone who was blessed enough to cross her way would immediately recognise her heavenly origin due to her ethereal figure. Her reddish hair locks were flying up with the summer breeze and framed her accentuated Gaelic features, perfectly shaped by the Father Himself.

The angel was holding a roll of white line in her hands and looked slightly anxious as she paced along a trail opened amongst the flower field. As much as she could spend long hours contemplating God's amazing creations, this time her soft doe-like eyes were not gazing at the daisies and dandelions that were spread along her way. Instead, her brown eyes were gazing at someone else. He was tall and strong, wearing a simple white t-shirt and blue jeans; his broad shoulders matched his muscular chest and the wind was also playing with some strands of his short dark blond hair. His handsome face was symmetrical, with a strong jaw and an attractive smile, and the green of his eyes somewhat reflected the tenderness of his soul. And even if he had a human form, the man was made from the same essence of his dearest friend, who he observed with admiration and much affection.

Andrew patiently waited for Monica to take some distance from him. Holding a colourful kite, the blond angel elected she had walked enough and spoke to her in a loud voice. "Angel, I guess this is enough,"

His lovely companion nodded her head with enthusiasm. "Okay, Andrew. I guess this time we'll manage to do it!"

The blond angel let the kite go with the wind and watched with slight worry as Monica clumsily tried to keep it flying up in the air. A minute later, however, the kite fell over the flower field for the third time on that morning.

"I'm afraid I will never get it, Andrew..." Monica sighed with some discouragement. Andrew was quick to come to her side and, with a tender look in his eyes, he took some strands of hair from her face. "All you need is practice, angel. I've seen humans trying to do it and they don't get it in the first attempt."

The Irish angel looked at him and her heart was immediately filled with so much love and joy that she let go of her previous frustration. Of course flying a kite was not the same of accomplishing an assignment but only a little bit of fun during the angels' day off. What amazed her was his ability to always soothe her heart and to convey that familiar sensation of joy whenever they were together. And even being apart, the memory of his kind and compassionate eyes looking at her and of his arms wide open ready to hold her were a way to warm her soul until the day they could meet again.

"I know..." she replied, somewhat sheepishly, "I've watched the wee ones doing it in the park the other day and it looked like they were indeed having so much fun."

Something that Andrew had come to terms with was the fact that he could not see the slightest trace of disappointment in his dearest friend's eyes. Whenever that happened, he was quick to come up with a solution in order to see a spark of joy back in those sweet brown pools, and that was one of these moments.

Smiling, he tucked a stray lock of her flying hair behind her ear and spoke again. "I'll tell you what: this time, I'll stay here holding the line and you hold the kite and let it go with the wind when I tell you."

"I guess we have a deal then!"

Her Irish lilt filled the air and her broad smile always fascinated him. It was impressive how the simplest things were enough to make Monica happy, from a cup of mocha latte to a free afternoon in the forest. He loved her kind and sweet manners and the childlike innocence with which she saw the world. Being an angel of death sometimes meant dealing with the most horrible side of human beings and frequently Andrew's assignments caused his heart to be filled with sorrow and even with anger. Monica's presence was like a warm safe place where he could run when sadness was too much to bear; a breath of fresh air that would always bring relief and reassurance to his soul.

He watched with contentment as she took some distance holding the kite in her hands. "I'm ready, Andrew!" the Irish angel shouted, with the excitement of a ten-year-old. With ability, he finally managed to make the object fly up in the bright blue sky. Monica ran to his side and both angels watched as the kite danced with the wind.

"Now it's your turn!" he said, passing her the line and brushing a tiny kiss on her cheek.

They spent hours in that flowered field and Monica's laugher, as well as the joy written on her face, went straight to Andrew's heart, and he was sure he would never get tired of just standing there contemplating her beautiful human form, hearing her voice and the cadence of her accent, and listening to her reflections about the world that surrounded them.

At the end of the day, the two angels sat under the shadow of an old oak tree and, leaning against its trunk, they watched the orange coloured sunset.

"This is so beautiful..." Monica sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder and feeling his arm around her own shoulders.

"It is, angel. But sharing the Father's creation with a dear friend makes it even more special, you know?"

She raised her head and looked at his handsome face; the sight of his dishevelled blond hair and sparkling green eyes combined with his strong masculine features suddenly caused her to feel butterflies in her stomach, a mix of pure joy and excitement for being so close to him and to hear the beautiful things he always had to say to her.

"This day was wonderful, Andrew. And it was thanks to you." She said, with all the emotion that unexpected feeling could produce.

With all the love in the world evident in his eyes, the blond angel raised his hand and gently stroked her face. "You don't have anything to thank me for, Monica. Being with you is... is like a present from God."

He tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer to him in a way that now she could rest her head on his chest and listen to his steady heart beats. The blond angel kissed the top of her head and then buried his face in her auburn hair, inebriated with the sweetness of her perfume.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she too held him tightly, secretly wishing that that moment was frozen in time. "It feels so perfect..." the Irish angel finally spoke, and closed her eyes afterwards.

A smile appeared on Andrew's lips and the joy for having Monica in his arms was such that he felt a lump forming in his throat. That emotion was new and strange, but at the same time it brought him so much peace and joy that he felt like holding her forever. "It really does."

The two angels snuggled comfortably against each other and remained there, in silence. But both kept on secretly wondering where those feelings were coming from. It was as if the love they had always felt for each other had grown even more on that split second.

And just to think of it, God forbid, was enough to fill their hearts with the greatest happiness they had ever felt.

X

To be continued


	2. The sweetest moment

Angel of mine series Episode 2: The sweetest moment

Waves crashed upon the desert shore and the bluest of the skies was entirely reflected on the ocean water, revealing all the perfection of God's creation. At first, the beach seemed deserted and its white sand looked like a bright carpet, but a closer look revealed a beautiful auburn lady not far from where the waves broke.

Barefoot, wearing a long white sleeveless dress, Monica walked along the sand and was suddenly distracted by a white dove that gracefully floated in the air and it was then that an unexpected gust of wind took the hat away from her head. With a startled yelp, the Irish angel turned around and was ready to go after one of her favourite accessories when she saw a tall, handsome man, with short blond hair and sparkling green eyes, walking in her direction. He was also smiling and gazing at her with tenderness, and managed to catch her hat before the wind could take it further away. In his other hand, there was a beautiful rose and Monica didn't waste any time in rushing towards him.

"Andrew!"

Some seconds later, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a warm embrace. He held her tightly, burring his face in her auburn locks, completely intoxicated by her sweet perfume.

"I missed you so much... So badly I sometimes felt like crying..." she said, almost in a whisper while resting her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, angel... I missed you too, baby." He ran his fingers through her soft hair and felt like never letting her go from his arms again. "And during these three months we've been apart, I included this moment in my prayers."

With a crying smile, she nodded her head. "I'm so glad that our loving Father made it possible again."

He pulled away just enough to look into her bright brown eyes. "So am I, angel. As a matter of fact, even if I had to spend the rest of eternity thanking Him for having you right here with me, it wouldn't be enough."

Shedding some tears of happiness, she placed her hand on his cheek, softly caressing his face, "You're such a good friend. A friend who always brings so much joy and comfort to my heart."

He gently lay both hands on each side of her face and brushed a long, loving kiss on her forehead. Monica closed her eyes for a minute, enjoying that sweet caress and feeling butterflies in her stomach with that tender contact. That sudden and totally unknown feeling was back again, causing her heartbeats to accelerate. Where was it coming from after all? When did it start? Or had it always been there, inside her heart?

Andrew found himself lost in the same sensation: a mix of nervousness, excitement and uncertainty. To the blond angel, holding Monica was like holding the most precious thing in the entire world, a gift he had been granted by their loving Father and for which he would be eternally grateful.

And if all those questions were like a turmoil on the angels' minds, there was one thing they were definitely sure of: all their joy for being in each other's arms.

Andrew finally looked down at her and smiled. "Would you care for a little walk?"

Gazing back at him she nodded in agreement. "It sounds like a lovely idea."

x

Hand in hand, the two angels walked along the deserted beach enjoying each and every second they spent together. Monica and Andrew spent some pleasant hours talking about past assignments and the joy of having the Father's work accomplished. The wide smile upon their contented faces was only a tiny evidence of the great peace that had filled their spirits due to their meeting.

Suddenly, Monica let go of his hand and surprisingly gave some steps ahead of him. "Andrew..."

A bit surprised, he raised his eyebrows and tilted his head with a questioning look. "Yes?"

"Let's see if I can race you until the dock?" She was already running and leaving him behind once she proposed that little challenge.

"Hey! That's cheating!" He complained, with mock indignation, and started to run after her. But the blond angel wasn't in a hurry to catch his dearest friend. Much on the contrary. Andrew purposefully gave her a small advantage only to watch her, enjoying the magical sound of her laughter and the radiance that emanated from her soul.

Only when they were close to an old wooden dock, overlooking the vast ocean ahead, did he grab her by the waist and lifted her in his strong arms, laughing at her startled cry. "Now, let's see... Where did you say you would race me?"

"...that's cheating!" she managed to say, hardly controlling her own laughter.

The expression on the blond angel's face turned to be a mischievous one, "Look who's talking!"

Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling close to him as he carried her along the dock.

"Should I help you jump in the water so that you can really be the first?"

"No! Please, Andrew!" she tightened her embrace and, despite her giggles, it was possible to see a trace of fear in her eyes.

Feeling somewhat guilty for his little joke, he stopped the walk and shoot her an affectionate look. "I'm just kidding, angel. I wouldn't do it with you! Never!" Andrew heaved a sigh of relief when the smile upon her pretty face grew wider once again. "Besides, I'd much rather have you right here in my arms." He gently placed her on the wooden floor and kissed her cheek afterwards, which caused a slight blush to rise on her face.

"I guess there's no other place I'd rather be..." The Irish angel replied, her smile slowly fading away and giving place to a serene expression.

Her dear friend took her hand and guided her up to the edge of the dock, where they took a seat to watch the ocean waves.

Monica leaned her head over his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his, sighing with contentment gratitude for those lovely moments.

"We still have to take a day off so that I can teach you how to swim, though." The blond angel broke the silence, gently caressing her arm.

"That would be lovely." Came her soft reply as she turned her eyes away from the waves and observed the red rose he had given her. "It's not that I'm afraid of the water as I used to be, you know. I can say that now I have a... a healthy respect for it."

"There's nothing wrong with that, angel. Actually, I think you're right."

Monica smiled, her emotions in check once more. "Have you noticed how you always find a way to reassure me?" She felt butterflies in her stomach at the feeling of him kissing her temple.

"It's my pleasure!" He bent his head so that he could face her. "Besides, I guess the Father knows very well what He was doing when He put us together because, whenever I need, you're also there to bring back my confidence and tell me the words I need to hear."

The Irish angel also turned her head and stared at his sparkling green eyes: his reassurance was only one of the many aspects of his gentle heart that moved her deeply. Andrew's loving presence made her feel safe, brought joy to her soul and was always a reminder of how blessed she was.

And then Monica finally understood - or simply admitted, that the feelings for her dearest friend were greater than she had ever thought they were. They were too powerful for her to fight against or have control over.

She loved Andrew.

"Sometimes I feel like you're part of me... of who I am..." There were some tears of emotion already forming in the corner of her eyes as she spoke again; her voice low as if she was still trying to understand what was going on in her angelic heart.

Their faces were just a few inches from each other when Andrew softly stroked her cheek, lost in the innocence and sincerity that she could convey through those pretty brown eyes.

"You have no idea what's like to hear it from you... of how blessed I feel, Monica. And you can be sure that I carry you right here in my heart, always. Whenever we're apart and I'm feeling sad, it's the memory of your laughter that makes me smile. Your kind words and the joy you transmit are all here, in my mind, in my soul." He placed some strands of hair behind her ears and sighed deeply, as if gathering all his courage and feeling a lump forming in his throat with anticipation. But there was no way to return, he had to say it, he could not hide his feelings anymore, "And your kindness, your loving spirit... I love you, Monica."

The Irish angel felt her heart pounding loudly in her chest; a mix of different emotions taking control over her soul and for a moment she even wondered if that moment really existed or was part of a dream. She had had a brief contact with dreams before and knew they could be deceiving. Some tears made their way down on her cheeks and she lowered her eyes for a second, still taking in what he had just told her.

But Andrew cupped her chin so that their eyes met once again. "I never thought that I could experience such feeling... I don't even know how long I've been carrying it with me, angel. But the truth is that I love you deeply, with all my soul."

Monica's eyes were fixed in his own and his sincerity and exposed emotions seemed to hypnotise her, as this time she didn't look away. All the love the blond angel had confessed to her was written on his face, deep inside his sparkling green eyes and at that moment it was all that mattered to her.

"Andrew..." she whispered, before he leaned down and his lips touched hers; a tender and sweet caress that was the evidence of the feelings the angels had been sharing maybe since they had first met.

They soon pulled away, but just a few inches from each other, still astonished with what had just happened.

"I guess... I guess I love you, too, Andrew..." she whispered, gently placing her hand on his cheek. Andrew was in a complete state of awe at hearing that as, for many times since he had found out that he loved her, he feared her rejection. But the fear vanished completely at the sound of those few words that came from her mouth.

They inched their faces forward again and their lips met one more time, now in a long, loving kiss. Both angels were sure there could not be anything sweeter in this entire world. Monica felt one of his arms encircling her waist, bringing her even closer to him, while he ran his fingers through her auburn locks. And Andrew was also grateful when she wrapped her arm around his neck, while still stroking his face with her other hand, openly accepting that sweet caress.

They felt like frozen in time, and secretly wished that sweet moment would never end.

To be continued.


	3. Forbidden love

Angel of mine series

Episode 3: Forbidden love?

The kiss Monica and Andrew shared on the dock, on that desert beach, summarised all the feelings the two angels had been keeping inside their hearts since maybe the moment they had first met. Andrew's warm embrace and his tender fingers gently running through her auburn hair, as well as his tender kiss, made Monica fall limp in his arms and gave her the certainty that there couldn't be a safer place in the entire world. And Andrew had never felt so blessed for having that little Irish angel in his arms and for hearing her previous words, confessing all the love she felt for him. He was sure there couldn't be anything sweeter than kissing her rosy lips and touching her delicate skin, and it was just for a brief moment that he pulled away.

"I love you so incredibly much, angel..." He gently stroking her cheek and wiped away the tears that insisted on falling from her eyes.

"I never thought I could have so much love inside my heart..." She sobbed, still overwhelmed at what had just happened between them. "Is this some kind of dream, Andrew?"

Smiling, he took her hand to his lips. "It feels like one, but it's real. And so are my feelings for you. You're so precious to me."

Andrew kissed her forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose and then he captured her lips once more. But all of a sudden Monica pulled away, so abruptly that he was scared.

"This cannot be..." She quickly disentangled herself from his arms and rose to her feet, backing away from him with fear.

"Monica? What is it?" He was suddenly confused with her reaction. But it wasn't even necessary to hear an explanation: the panic and guilt written on the Irish angel's face were a sign of the turmoil of thoughts that was in her mind.

"We weren't supposed to be experiencing these feelings!" She said, with more tears rolling down her cheeks. He stood up and came closer to her.

"Monica, I'm confused too. I know this is all new to us and that we need time to understand it, but..." he gently placed his hand against her cheek, "... but I know what I feel for you, angel, and I'm not giving it up."

"But we are angels... we weren't created to have these feelings inside our hearts!"

"What I have inside my heart is nothing but love! And if it's love, it can only come from the Father!"

She gave a few steps back from him and covered her face with both hands, "I'm so confused!"

Her crying caused him a great sensation of pain and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and take all her sorrow away.

"Monica..." he tried to move closer to her but she backed away again.

"Andrew, please, don't..."

"I love you!"

She caught her breath at hearing those words – it was as if they hurt and comforted her at the same time. "... I'm sorry..." was all that she could utter, before running away from him.

The blond angel stood still, a turmoil of different thoughts and feelings going on his mind. What Monica said was true: they were angels and had been created to accomplish the Father's work. Falling in love was for humans, not for them. Frowning with anguish, he ran his fingers through his short blond hair: why then was he feeling like this?

Great sadness invaded his heart when he thought that maybe Monica wasn't all too sure about her own feelings. But at the same time, there was the kiss and it was the sweetest moment of all his existence, a blessing and a gift which had left its imprint in his heart forever.

"Father... please, forgive me if what I did was wrong... but I love her... I love her so much..." he whispered, with some tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

X

Monica walked along a vast green field for a while, the memories of what had happened a few hours earlier were still fresh in her mind, and once in a while, tears made their way down her cheeks. She had never felt so lost. If on one side shame and guilty filled her heart, on the other, a great sensation of joy insisted on remaining there. But she was fighting against it. She and Andrew were angels, heavenly beings who had not been made to carry human feelings inside their hearts.

The Irish angel walked ahead until she heard a familiar voice echoing in the wind, a shelter from the thunderstorm that had taken control over her soul. A dark skinned old angel was admiring her surroundings and singing a beautiful hymn when Monica quickly approached her, grateful to find her dearest friend and supervisor.

"Tess..."

"Angel Girl!" the oldest angel replied, glad to see her charge and also beloved friend. But she frowned with concern a second later, seeing the tears that insisted on falling from her eyes. "Baby... what is it?"

"Oh, Tess... please, help me!"

Tess wasted no time in gathering the sobbing angel in her arms like a mother would do. And she cried incessantly for long minutes, which only increased the supervisor's worry and left her wondering what could have caused so much pain.

Finally feeling her tears diminish, Tess pulled away and took some strands of hair from her face. "Baby, try to calm down, ok? Whatever it is, I'm here now and I'll help you!"

Still sobbing, Monica nodded her head. Tess held her hand and they sat down on a fallen tree trunk. "Now tell me, what happened?"

The Irish angel averted her eyes from her and kept staring at the ground as she did not have the courage to look at the supervisor. "I'm so ashamed... I... I don't even know how to start..."

Tess cupped her chin and lifted her head up so that their eyes could meet. "Angel child, I can see how much you're suffering and all I want to do at this very moment is to take it away from your heart."

"That's... that's impossible, Tess."

"Nothing is impossible with the Father!"

Hearing that, the Irish angel closed her eyes. "I guess He must be so disappointed in me right now..."

"Baby, you know that's not true and that right now He's offering you His hand to help you to stand up. So please, tell me what's going on."

"Andrew... I... was with Andrew during the morning... we hadn't seen each other in months..."

"I know that and I know how you've missed that angel boy, we both missed him!"

"You are perfectly right. I missed him very badly. This morning, we met at the beach..."

"Did you two argue?"

"No..." fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and she looked away from the supervisor once more. "We were talking... and looking at the sea when..."

"When?"

"I looked at him and I... I was so confused... I felt..." she let out a deep sigh. "I've never felt that way before..."

"What exactly do you mean?"

The Irish angel swallowed hard and, gathering all her courage, she finally confessed what was troubling her. "Andrew and I... we... we kissed..."

It was impossible not to notice the shock written on Tess's face at that piece of news, and for a few seconds Monica even regretted revealing that secret. "What are you telling me, Monica?" She managed to ask, taken aback by that sudden revelation.

The shocked tone in her voice only caused Monica to be twice more ashamed and she felt like disappearing from there. Then, she started to cry again. "We kissed, Tess... We couldn't, it's forbidden, I know. But we didn't think about that... we kissed and then he told me that he loved me!"

"Dear Father!"

"And I love him too! Although I shouldn't, although it's forbidden..."

Her crying became more intense once again and, despite the impact of Monica's confession, Tess' heart was filled with great sorrow to see her dearest friend so unhappy and desperate. The oldest angel held her in her arms and rocked her as if she was a little girl.

"Shh... please, calm down, Angel Girl..."

"I don't deserve to be called an angel anymore! I acted against the Father's will! And... and I also hurt Andrew's feelings! When I was finally aware of what we were doing, I told him to stay away from me! I still can see the hurt look in his eyes!" she cried even more, "I'm an awful creature, Tess!"

"Please, don't say that Monica! Of course you're not an awful creature, you're God's child!"

"I betrayed His confidence! He must be ashamed of me now!"

X

Andrew wandered around the desert beach he and Monica had met on the previous morning. Barefoot, with his hands in his pockets and dishevelled hair, he walked along the sand with a miserable expression on his face. The memories of what had happened could not go away from his mind and the blond angel had never experienced so much joy and sorrow at the same time. He was lost in confused thoughts when he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"Andrew..."

The blond angel turned around and saw Tess standing right behind him. And, by the expression on the supervisor's face, he could tell she already knew what had happened.

"Tess..." he whispered and, like Monica, stared at the ground, without knowing what to do. "...You've... you've spoken to Monica, right?"

"Yes. She told me what happened here."

After a long minute of silence, he spoke again. "I... I don't know what to say to you... other than what I already said to Monica..."

His voice was hoarse with emotion and, even with his head lowered, it was possible to see distress written on his face. The great sadness that took control over his heart was evident, as well as his anguish for not knowing what to do and Tess could feel it. Like a mother, she gave a few steps ahead and opened her arms, holding the blond angel in a tight, motherlish warm embrace. Andrew buried his face on her shoulder and, for some moments, dared to thank God for sending the supervisor to him.

"I know you're confused, baby. And I pray to the Father to be able to help you somehow."

He raised his head and stared at her with tear filled eyes, "I'm confused about many things, Tess. But I know for sure that I love Monica. I love her with all my heart, with all my soul!"

Frowning as also rather confused, the supervisor shook her head in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know if I'm making a terrible mistake, if I committed a horrible sin, but, please, don't judge me, Tess... not you."

"Oh no! I'm not judging you, baby! To tell you the truth, I feel as confused as you are right now... I can feel how much you're suffering; both of you are..."

"She's crying right now, isn't she?"

"Yes. When that poor baby found me I thought she would never stop crying... Monica is desperate, Andrew. But... but there's one thing I could notice in her eyes..."

"What is it?"

"She loves you... She has exactly the same feelings you have inside your heart..."

A bittersweet smile appeared in his handsome face. "You really think so?"

"I know that Angel Girl like a mother knows her own daughter."

"I want so much to hold her in my arms... This love can't be wrong, Tess! I love her with all my soul!"

The oldest angel looked deep inside his eyes: all the truth in his words was there, as well as the purest and most beautiful feeling.

X

Monica was sitting on a small rock under a huge green tree and staring at a vast field with the wind blowing on her face. Tears were still falling freely from her eyes after the conversation she had had with Tess as nothing in the world seemed to wash them away and erase the sadness that had invaded her kind and compassionate heart. There, in the silence of the mountains, she prayed for guidance for it was probably the most difficult moment in her existence.

"Father, please, help me... Help me to understand what's going on in my heart... where is this feeling coming from? I'm so confused... so confused..." the Irish angel whispered, and sobbed with the constant stream of tears that fell from her eyes. Monica was so absorbed in her sorrow that she did not notice Andrew coming from behind her. And watching his beloved friend in so much sadness and anguish caused him to be equally miserable, as the last thing he wanted was to see her crying.

With a worried and sad expression on his face, he placed his hand over her shoulder. The sobbing little angel turned around and when she saw him Monica stood up immediately and backed two steps away.

"Monica..."

"Andrew, please..."

"I... I was worried about you. Tess told me you were crying..."

"So... you already spoke to Tess?"

"Yes... I was with her right now."

She lowered her eyes and stared at the ground, as he came closer to her once more. "Monica I know this isn't easy, but we have to face this whole situation! The two of us together!"

"It's not something to face, Andrew..." She said, her voice was filled with emotion. "... it's something to forget..."

He cupped her chin and lifted her head up so that their eyes could meet. "I would never be able to forget what happened. Not even in a thousand years." The blond angel gently stroked her cheek. "And I don't want to."

For a brief moment, Monica closed her eyes cherishing that sweet caress, but then, she backed away once more and stared at the ground.

"This is impossible, Andrew. Impossible... we are angels of God! We weren't made to have these feelings, they're forbidden to us! Oh Father! I... I feel so ashamed!" she cried.

But, this time, Andrew remained where he was and a hurt look could be seen in his green eyes, "I know that this feeling..." he quickly corrected himself, "... that this LOVE I feel for you isn't something ordinary. But I would never feel ashamed of it!"

The hurt tone in his voice made her realise what she had done; the pain she had inflicted on him with her words. And that only caused her to feel twice worse. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked back at him, crying helplessly with regret. "Oh, Andrew... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry! I... I didn't mean it..."

Then, without thinking about what she was doing, the Irish angel stepped closer to him and held him tightly, burying her face in his chest and sobbing violently.

"Please, forgive me, Andrew! Please, I'm terribly sorry! I'm so confused! I didn't mean what I said, I'm not ashamed of my feelings! I'm so terribly confused!"

Finally, Andrew wrapped his arms around her small body and returned her embrace, running his fingers through her auburn hair and burying his face on her shoulder. He held her for dear life for several long minutes, until her tears subsided slowly. Then, he gently pulled away, just enough to look at her eyes. "We'll find a way together, Monica. I'm sure the Father has an answer for what's happening to us."

Monica placed a trembling hand on his face and softly stroked his cheek. "Please, forgive me for what I said... I didn't mean it, I-"

Andrew gently pressed a finger upon her lips to silence her. "I know. And I'll ask you something: please, don't cry, sweetie. You have no idea how it makes me suffer to see you in so much pain."

Unfortunately, she couldn't do what he asked her immediately as some tears insisted on falling from her eyes no matter how hard she tried to blink them back. Andrew wiped them away with gentle fingers and then placed a loving kiss on her forehead, holding her tightly once more.

"What are we going to do now, Andrew?"

"I don't know. But I won't give up on you, baby. You're the most precious gift I've ever been granted and I wouldn't bear to stay away from you ever!"

Monica closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, taking to her heart all his loving words. "I love you, Andrew... That's the truth... I love you so much."

Despite the dramatic situation, a flood of happiness invaded the blond angel's soul and he dared to tighten his hold on her even more as if he would never let her go again.

"Do you have any idea of how happy you're making me feel right now by telling me this?"

She pulled away just a few inches and softly stroked his face, "I don't know what will happen to us. I don't know if this feeling is really wrong, but... But the truth is here, in my heart: what I feel for you is love, Andrew. And..." a single tear fell from her eye, "... And even if it's condemned by the Father, it'll still be here. Forever."

"Monica..."

Andrew was suddenly lost for words with what she had just said. He placed his hand over hers and kissed her palm. It was then that they heard a familiar voice near them.

"The Father never condemns true love. He blesses it!"

The two angels saw Tess standing right in front of them and pulled away. Not that they were afraid or embarrassed by the supervisor's presence, much on the contrary, she was like a mother to them, the first person they had run to in that difficult moment. What they really feared was the news the oldest angel seemed to have with her, what would become of them from that moment on. Nevertheless, Andrew held Monica's hand and felt her squeezing his own; both a bit confused with what Tess had to say.

"What do you mean, Tess?"

The supervisor stepped closer to them and took the angels' hands. "What I mean is that, yes, the Father knows what's happening to you, babies..."

Monica lowered her head and squeezed Andrew's hand even more, as if asking for his strength. Feeling the fear and sadness flowing from her heart to his, Andrew sighed deeply, wanting nothing more than to hold her tightly. "Tess, Monica and I..."

But the oldest angel didn't let him finish his sentence. "What's happening between you two is love, babies. Just love, plain and simple!"

"So is it really possible? Is it possible that angels can fall in love?"

"You two are the greatest evidence that it is possible, Angel Girl! And it's exactly because you two are angels that this love is so special," she smiled with tenderness, "It's love in its purest form. What you two share has never happened before, it's true, but no one can deny it's the most beautiful feeling!"

A slight smile started to appear in their faces and, extremely surprised, Andrew and Monica looked at each other and after to the supervisor.

"Tess... are you saying that..."

"I'm repeating the Father's words, angel boy! He would never condemn such a beautiful love. He, like no one else, can see what's inside your hearts and is giving His blessing to both of you, babies."

Happier than never, the two angels held each other tightly and the blond angel kissed the top of Monica's head repeatedly.

"Oh Tess, I'm so happy! This is the best news we could ever receive!" Monica spoke, now with tears of joy falling from her eyes.

"Well, I can see that..." the oldest angel replied, with some irony, looking at them from head to toe and not missing how tight they were holding each other.

Monica reached out and took her hand. "But... there's something else I need to know..."

Andrew and Tess looked at each other intrigued with the solemn tone in her voice.

"What is it, Miss Wings?"

"Will you give us your blessing, Tess?"

Andrew smiled and nodded his head, completely agreeing with his beloved Angel Girl.

"What?"

"She's right, Tess. If there's someone, other than the Father, who we would like to bless us, it's you because you're... well, you're like a mother to us!"

Monica let go of Andrew's hand for a minute and held Tess' arm. "Yes, and we love you!"

"We love you very, very much!"

Now it was the supervisor who felt a lump forming in her throat with such loving words. Not that she didn't know all the love and respect her two dearest friends had for her, but hearing them saying so, especially on that important occasion, caused her eyes to be filled with tears of emotion. "Oh babies... my angel babies... of course I can give you my blessing!" she sniffled, unsuccessfully trying to hide her tears. Monica and Andrew exchanged an amused glance and, together, held the oldest angel tightly. "And I love you two very much too!" she exclaimed, receiving a big kiss on each cheek.

A minute later, though, Tess managed to control herself again, "Now, if you can still remember, we have work to do, so you two had better try to focus on our next assignment! It'll start in some minutes!"

"Tess I promise we'll meet you there in time..." Andrew spoke, as if asking for a couple of minutes alone with his dear Angel Girl. And the supervisor knew that they needed a moment and that they would be with her at the right time afterwards.

"Alright then! I'll meet you two in some minutes... But it's just some minutes! You'll have the rest of eternity to... 'talk' later!" she replied, with an ironic tone in her voice, causing them to look at each other slightly embarrassed and blushed.

As the supervisor went away, Andrew and Monica looked at each other with a content smile upon their faces and he held her two hands.

"I can say my world is complete now." The blond angel said, enjoying to see the spark of happiness in her eyes.

"If this is a dream I ... I don't want to wake up..."

He released one of her hands and gently stroked her cheek. "It was a dream, Monica. But after this day, reality became sweeter than I could ever imagine!"

With tears of emotion once again filling her eyes, she gazed at him lovingly and tenderly. "I love you, Andrew. For the rest of eternity."

Also with all the love in his eyes evident on his face, Andrew stepped closer to her and now placed the palm of his hand on her cheek; Monica immediately leaned on it, treasuring his delicate touch.

"So do I, baby. I love you with all my heart. With all my soul."

She closed her eyes briefly, taking to her heart all his loving words and recording the emotion of that moment in the depths of her soul. Then, she opened them again and saw the same look of contentment in Andrew's eyes. Slowly, he leaned down and finally kissed her lips tenderly and slowly.

Now that their worries had vanished forever, they remained lost in that long, loving kiss as if the rest of the world had stopped to allow them to enjoy that precious moment. From that day on, they knew that what they had inside their hearts was a great and pure love, which had been blessed by the Father Himself, creating a bond for the rest of eternity.

To be continued.


	4. You're in my heart

Angel Of Mine Series Episode 4: You're In My Heart 

Andrew was sitting at the edge of a wooden dock and looking at the ocean. The placid and still waters, together with a beautiful sunrise, brought to his heart some of the peace and comfort the blond angel was looking for, although it was still possible to notice a trace of sadness in his bright green eyes.

Suddenly, another angel came from behind him. Monica was barefoot, wearing a long sleeveless white dress and her auburn locks were flying up in the air with the gentle breeze that blew from the sea. A beautiful smile appeared on her meek face as she quietly came closer to her beloved friend and, although she didn't notice it, he too gave a short smile, but remained motionless, secretly agreeing to play her game.

Monica knelt behind him and gently covered his eyes with her small hands, causing Andrew's smile to become twice broader. Then, he covered her hands with his own, softly rubbing his fingers on their back, "I cannot imagine who this is..." he spoke, enjoying the sound of her small giggle. But the Irish angel remained in silence and didn't release her hold on him, "mmm... ok, can I have a clue?"

Finding his request rather fair, she bent down and placed a tiny kiss on the top of his head and waited for his reply.

"I... I'm not sure yet... I want another clue..."

Giggling again, she inched forward and now kissed his cheek.

"I guess I have a slight suspicion about who this must be... but I still need a final clue..."

"Keep your eyes closed..." she whispered into his ear.

"Okay..." he happily obliged her. Then, Monica uncovered his eyes and, sitting right in front of him, grabbed his face with both hands. Then, she inched forward and pressed her lips against his, in a loving kiss. She felt one of his arms automatically encircling her waist while his other hand started to stroke her hair; and both were lost in that sweet, slow kiss for a long minute.

When they finally pulled away, just a few inches from each other, Andrew stared at her with a mock surprised expression on his face, "Monica?!"

The tone in his voice and his face only caused her to laugh and, pleased to with this, he kept on talking, "I would never guess it was you!" he said, although his smile was dimmed by the sadness the blond angel was carrying inside his heart.

"When Tess told me you were here I came as fast as I could! The Father was so wonderful in giving us both a day off! I'm so happy!" she said, gently caressing his handsome face.

"Yes, He is really wonderful. After all, He gave me you..."

Only then did Monica realise the sadness that he was trying to hide from her and her smile faded away, "Andrew? What is it? Is... is there something wrong?"

He lowered his head for a moment and held her hand in both of his, "It's... I... I just needed a break, that's all..."

"Is it any of your assignments?"

Andrew sighed and looked at her again, now placing some strands of her hair behind her ear, "You can really see inside my heart, can't you?"

"Well... I guess that's because I love you..."

A short smile appeared on his face and he leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on her lips. "You know that the same goes to you, don't you?"

"Yes... Tell me what happened..."

He sighed and looked at the ocean, still trying to cope with his emotions and with the great sadness that had taken place inside his heart, "Adam and I, together with many others angels of death, were sent to this school..."

"Many others? To a school?"

"Yes... It was a terrorist attempt, Monica... Hundreds of people died, most of them were children..."

The Irish angel's eyes were immediately filled with tears and with the same sorrow her beloved Andrew was feeling. "Oh Andrew, I'm so sorry!" she said, placing her hand on his cheek.

"The ones who died were trying to escape from the criminals... All of them were shot. And the ones who survived saw their friends being murdered right before their eyes. Not to mention that the terrorists kept them hostages with no food or water... Many of them got sick and the conditions inside the school were some of the worst I've ever seen."

Now Monica's tears were falling from her eyes as she kept on imagining the children's despair and the scenes he was describing. The blond angel finally turned his head to face her again, "What kind of human being is capable of doing such thing? Or can we ever call those people 'human beings'?" he spoke, now with anger in his voice.

Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and held him as tightly as she could; feeling sorry for what he had just told her and for him. Thankfully, but still miserable, he also held her for dear life, as if trying to get faith and strength from the warmth of her arms.

They remained in this embrace for long minutes and this time, it was Monica who started to stroke his short blond hair, while he buried his face on her shoulder.

Only some time later, did she break the silence. "I'm so sorry for what you saw, Andrew. My heart is crying with yours and I'm sure that the Father's heart is too... But remember who we are and Who we serve..."

"You know... sometimes there seems to be a lot more evil than good in this world." There was some disgust and frustration on his voice. She pulled away just a few inches so that she could look into his sad green eyes.

"You know this isn't true, don't you?"

"Yes, I know it... But I don't feel it... At least not right now..."

Noticing the bitterness in his words and in his soul, she gently arranged some strands of his short hair which was dishevelled by the wind and then brushed a tender kiss on his cheek.

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course..." he spoke, gently and lovingly tracing the outline of her delicate face with his fingertips as if committing to his memory every inch of it.

"Could you come with me? There are some places I want you to see..."

"Sure."

They stood up and Monica held his hands.

Still in their angelic form, they came to Earth and the Irish angel took him on a journey through hospitals and many institutions all over the world which helped people in need.

Their last stop was at a big white country house, built up a long time ago and surrounded by green trees and many flowers. Monica never released her beloved friend's hand and led him to take a closer look at the construction.

"My last assignment was here. This house was built in the fifties by a rich man who lost his two sons in the war. In a moment of great pain, he decided that, if he couldn't bring his children back to life, he would help to keep other children living. This place is an institution that takes care of children with cancer."

At that moment, he noticed that they were in their human form, as their clothes had changed and a seven-year-old boy soon came towards them. He was carrying some small daisies in his hands and it was possible to see that he was under treatment, as a blue cap hid his hairless head. As soon as he came closer, a big smile appeared in his face, "Hey Monica!"

"Hullo, Jeremy! How are you doing today?" the Irish angel replied, kneeling in front of him and also smiling cheerfully.

"I'm great! We'll have ice cream for dessert and tomorrow we'll have a party cause it's Carol's birthday! She's gonna be quite old now, ten years old already!"

Monica and Andrew looked at each other and smiled. The boy looked at Andrew and his face turned into a serious one, "Is he your friend?" he asked.

"Yes, this is Andrew and I brought him here today especially to know the shelter! Andrew, this is Jeremy, he's one of the 50 children that take free treatment against cancer here."

"Hey Jeremy!" the blond angel greeted, smiling friendly. But the boy didn't seem to like his presence very much.

"Hi..." he replied, without much enthusiasm. Only when he turned back to Monica did his smile came back to his face, "This is for you!" he spoke, giving her the flowers.

"Oh they're very beautiful! Thank you so much, Jeremy! I loved them!"

"I knew you'd like them! Well... now I gotta go, it's almost lunchtime. Will you come to visit us again?"

"Yes, whenever I have an opportunity!"

"Yay!"

"Now go and take care of yourself, ok?"

The boy nodded his head a bit sad and, before he left, he hugged the Irish angel, "Bye Monica!"

As they pulled away, he merely looked at Andrew, "Bye..."

"Bye, Jeremy!"

The boy went back to the house and Monica turned to Andrew, "This house has been here for five decades and only God knows how many children have been saved." She held his hand again and squeezed it, "There's evil in this world, Andrew. But we can only fight it with love; and we need to have faith and trust that the Father always has the power to transform something terrible into something wonderful, like this place."

The blond angel's eyes were sparkling with gratitude and love, "Monica... I... I don't even know how what to say... I don't even know how to thank you..."

"You know you don't have to thank me for anything!"

Placing the palm of his hand on her cheek, he smiled, "Oh yes, I do. You have no idea how wonderful my existence is when I remember that you're by my side."

"I can say the same. But I'll ask you something: whenever you feel sad with all the injustice and evil that exist in this world, let the Father's love heal you..." also smiling, Monica placed her hand on his heart, "...keep His love right here and I'm sure you'll feel better."

He took her hand and kissed her palm, "I'll do that, I promise you... But there's something else I'll keep right here inside my heart and that I'm sure will always fill my soul with joy..."

"What is it?"

"You."

Then, he grabbed her face and brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead and another one on her lips. With a cheerful look, and also some tears of happiness threatening to fall from her sparkling brown eyes now that her dearest friend's sorrow had vanished completely, Monica wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly.

"You're so precious to me... you have no idea how much!" Andrew whispered, burying his face into her auburn hair and feeling her sweet perfume.

"That's exactly what you are to me, Andrew. And I promise I'll never let you feel sad, never!" she gently pulled away and took his hands, "Let's go for a walk? The afternoon is so beautiful!"

"Sure."

"Besides, I love this place. This was one of my favourite assignments, you know."

"Yes, I can see that." The blond angel replied, not missing the contentment on her face, and then his smile turned into a mischievous one, "And there's something else I just noticed..."

"What?" she asked, innocently.

"That little buddy has a crush on you!"

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, "Oh, he does not!"

"Of course he does! Look, he even brought you flowers!"

"Jeremy is a sweet wee boy! When I was here on assignment, he used to give me flowers everyday!"

"Hey! You didn't tell me that things were on this level!" he replied, with a mock upset expression on his face, which only caused her to laugh. Pleased to hear that sound, Andrew continued to talk, "Not to mention that he wasn't all too pleased to see me with you!"

"Well, that's because you're a stranger and it takes some time for wee children to get accustomed to another adult's presence!"

" 'get accustomed to another adult's presence'?! The little guy was making eyes on my angel girl!" he spoke, shaking his head in total disapproval, and Monica couldn't control her laugher. "And I tell you something: since he obviously has a preference for older girls, he'd better try to befriend Carol tomorrow on her birthday!"

Then, he looked at his beloved friend, who was still laughing uncontrollably, and smiled again, "But you know what? I don't blame him... After all..."

They stopped walking and Andrew wrapped an arm around her waist, while placing some strands of hair behind her ear, "...you're the sweetest and most adorable creature I've ever met in this entire world!"

"Nooo, that's you!" she kindly objected, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms, "Besides, although I think you are totally mistaken about that sweet little boy's feelings, I'd say he has no chances with me, as I'm already committed to a certain angel, who I happen to love very, very much..."

" 'Committed'?... well... I like this word... And this angel is really blessed for sure!"

"No, I'm the one who is blessed to have him in my existence..."

They leaned their faces closer and finally shared a sweet loving kiss, which lasted for a long moment; their souls once again frozen in time and filled with a great joy.

"I love you... forever..." Andrew whispered, when they finally pulled away, and kissed the tip of her nose. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and they continued to walk along the small brick road in that beautiful countryside area, until they disappeared together some time later, as a white dove cooed and crossed the blue sky.

To be continued.


	5. Christmas wishes

Angel Of Mine Series 

Episode 5: Christmas Wishes

Monica was happily decorating a little pine tree in the forest she and her friends used to visit during their free time when someone slowly approached her in the most absolute silence. And she was so absorbed in her task that she didn't realise when Andrew stood right behind her and subtracted one of the little angels with which she had been adorning her Christmas tree. Only when she stopped to contemplate the tree, which was almost finished, did she look for the small angel on the table where she had spread the ornaments.

Hardly controlling himself not to laugh, Andrew chuckled at the adorable mix of confusion and annoyance on her beautiful face.

"But I'm sure I left it here!" she exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. Then, the Irish angel looked at the ground, to see if it hadn't fallen, but, having found nothing, she grumbled again, "Where can it be?!"

"Do I get a reward if I find it?" Andrew finally spoke, close to her ear.

And, at the sound of his voice, Monica covered her mouth with her hands and quickly turned around to face him with a surprised and rather shocked look in her eyes, "Andrew!!!"

The blond angel was going to say something else, but he gave up a second later, as Monica wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug, with an almost tearful expression on her face, "You came! You're finally here!"

He returned her embrace, squeezing her as tightly as he could, and was deeply moved by her spontaneous reaction to his presence – all the love in her heart immediately flowed to his.

Kissing the top of her head repeatedly, the blond angel ran his fingers through her auburn hair, intoxicated with her sweet perfume, and smiled, "Well, I guess I already got my reward!"

"I thought we would only meet later, at the place where our assignment would be, I didn't know you would come here!" she spoke, never releasing her hold on him.

"Yes, that was the plan, but I received a message from Tess to meet you here instead. And I personally loved to obey her orders this time!"

Monica pulled away just a few inches and looked up at his face, "I missed you so much! Three weeks without seeing you seemed like a whole century..."

The affection written in her eyes caused his heart to rejoice for that moment, and he tenderly stroked the delicate skin on her face, "I can say exactly the same, Monica... But being away from you only serves to remind me of how much I love you, angel..." he bent down and, slowly, their lips met in a sweet, loving kiss. Andrew placed one of his hands on the back of her head, wrapping his other arm around her waist, while the Irish angel was practically limp in his arms; both frozen in time once again, as they always did when they had a chance to see each other.

Moments later, he lay kisses on her forehead and cheeks and finally placed a tiny kiss on the tip of her nose. "I love you!"

"I love you too, Andrew. And I love the fact that we'll spend Christmas together again, like we did many times in the past!"

"Yes, that's true; and we'll be working too, I guess now we'll just have to wait for Tess to say what our assignment will be..." he looked at her almost complete Christmas tree, "Want some help here?"

"Yes! I was almost finishing when you stole my angel!" she playfully said, taking the little object from his hands and turning around to hang it on the tree.

A mischievous smile formed on the corner of his lips and, from behind, he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Well, you shouldn't complain, baby, cause you stole my heart!" he whispered in her ear, and brushed one more loving kiss on her cheek.

XXXXX

The two angels spent the last 10 minutes finishing to decorate the tree and chatting, when Monica looked around them frowning with worry, "Andrew..."

"What?"

"Did you hear this?"

"Hear what?" he asked, already trying to pay attention to the sounds in the (apparently) desert woods.

"I don't know exactly... but I think we're not alone..."

"Are you sure?" now his face was one of worry, and deep inside he immediately felt protective about the little Irish angel he loved so much.

"Yes... listen..."

The two angels remained in silence and, a sound made their hearts jump.

"It's... it's a baby!" Monica exclaimed, extremely worried.

"Yes... And it's coming from that way..." the blond angel pointed.

"Let's go, Andrew, somebody may need help!"

The two followed the sound of a baby's cries and, minutes later, they saw a small bundle lying on the grass. Monica was quick to check on it: a little baby, of about 4 months, stopped crying as soon as the Irish angel took him in her arms, "Oh, no, wee one, don't cry, please..." she said, cradling the little one.

Andrew took the baby's tiny hand, "Shh... it's ok now, little one, we found you..." He looked around them, but there was no sign of another human being, "The baby must've been here for some time..."

The blond angel started to exam the child, looking for any wound or insect bite, and was relieved to have found none.

"But Andrew... Oh, Father... who would abandon a wee innocent child in the woods?" Monica spoke, tears already falling down from her eyes.

"Someone who stole him from his mother, 4 months ago."

The two angels heard the all too familiar voice right behind them and turned around to face a dark skinned old angel.

"Tess, what's happening here?"

"Little Peter Scott was stolen from his mom in a hospital, some days after he was born, angel boy. The woman who did this was disguised as a nurse and intended to sell him; but the police is now after her and they're close to catch her. So, she had to get rid of him as soon as possible and decided that the woods, where almost no one comes at this time of the year, would be perfect to leave him." the oldest angel spoke, softly running her fingers through the boy's silky blond hair.

"Scott? Wait a minute, Tess, is his mother Sally Scott?"

"Yes, Miss Wings. She's the young widow you were helping last week. And this is an assignment that, contrary to what you thought, isn't finished. Your job was not only make her see that God would help her to find her son; you would also be the one to take him back to his mother, with Andrew's help."

Monica and Andrew looked at each other in surprise and then the Irish angel looked down at the baby, with her heart aching for the small creature, "So this is little Peter..."

"He could've died here, Tess!" the blond angel said with the tone in his voice louder than the usual; anger burning inside his heart. Monica nodded her head and shed more tears, still cradling the little baby and speechless with such cruelty.

"Yes, you're right, angel boy. But that's when God interceded and placed His angels right here! You two are going to take him back to his mother. Here... take this..." She gave Andrew her car keys, "I'll stay together with Sally."

"Why can't we just take this wee one there by other means, Tess? Sally lives thousands of miles away from here! It's a day and a half trip!"

"Because, although this cute little baby looks like a little angel, he's a human child and cannot do the things real angels can, Miss Wings!" the supervisor responded, "Now you'd better get going. I'm sure his mother would love to spend Christmas with her son! There are diapers, pacifiers and a bottle of milk in the car too."

"We'll get there, I promise, Tess!" Andrew spoke, already opening the car door.

Tess grabbed his arm and spoke for the last time, "And you'd better be careful: you're carrying TWO babies here, you hear me, Mr Halo?!"

He nodded his head, "I promise they'll both get safe and sound to their destination!"

XXXXX

Andrew and Monica travelled for hours until they arrived at a small town that lay on their way to Utah.

"Hungry, sweetie?" the blond angel asked, looking at his dearest friend through the mirror, as she was sitting in the back seat, next to the baby's small crib.

"Yes, in fact I am; being in human form has some drawbacks, you know..." she looked down at the little baby, "Besides, I guess our wee one is hungry too!"

The blond angel smiled tenderly with her last words. There was a little restaurant by the road and he reduced the velocity. "That restaurant looks pretty good, don't you think?"

"Yes, that's fine for me..."

"Then I'll stop right there, ok?"

XXXXX

When Andrew and Monica entered the small restaurant, with the Irish angel carrying little Peter, the owner smiled and walked over to them, "Please, do come in. I have a special little table where you can put your son..."

The two angels looked at each other surprised with the woman's words, but elected not to say anything about themselves. The police was looking after the baby and they didn't want to be confused with two criminals. Besides, the fact that people thought about them as a family somewhat pleased Monica and Andrew and they happily and secretly agreed to let everyone think so.

They sat at the table and ordered their lunch. Meanwhile, Monica held little Peter in her arms and gave him the bottle of milk that the owner of the restaurant kindly warmed up for her.

"See? I told you this wee one was hungry..."

"Yes, and you noticed that before he started crying!" Andrew replied, sitting right beside her and stroking her hair, his eyes full of love for the little Irish angel.

"Well, yes... It's amazing how such a tiny creature can inspire so much love isn't it? It seems that I can feel what he's feeling!"

"Yes... and it really makes us feel like taking care of him... protect him as if he were ours..."

Monica looked at his handsome face and smiled, "Would you like to have a wee one like him?"

He chuckled at her question and, for some moments, seemed to be picturing himself as a father. Then, smiling cheerfully, he nodded his head. "Yes... I would... though... he or she would be a little bit different from little Peter, you know..."

"Different?"

"Yes... the little one would have reddish brown hair and beautiful brown eyes... like his mom..."

Monica's smile became wider and she looked deep in his eyes, "Well, I beg to differ... If I had a wee one, it would be just like little Peter... Blond hair and beautiful green eyes, which I love so much..."

They inched their faces closer and shared a small but loving kiss; Andrew cupped her chin and lay small kisses on her face and lips until they heard a woman clearing her throat next to them.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but here is your lunch..."

"Oh, thanks..." Andrew replied, he and Monica slightly embarrassed.

The woman looked at the little baby in the Irish angel's arms and smiled enchanted, "He's such a cute little boy! And he looks like his father, you know? The hair, the eyes! Definitely like you, young man! Though I have to admit that you three together look beautiful!"

With a content look in their faces, they looked at each other and after at the woman, "Thank you, madam..." Monica replied, totally pleased to hear such compliment.

X

After they ate, the angels and the baby returned to the Cadillac and back to the road. The border with the state of Utah was some miles ahead of them and Monica and Andrew were more and more apprehensive as they got closer to it, and soon they noticed a queue of cars formed close to it: the police was checking each vehicle.

"Do you think there'll be a problem?" Monica asked, somewhat nervous.

"Well, we cannot go back... Right now the best thing to do is to remain calm, we didn't do anything wrong, remember?"

"Yes... you're right..."

Andrew guided the Cadillac ahead and soon the policemen were checking on its interior. They saw Monica sitting on the back, next to a crib and watching over a sleeping baby boy inside of it, and their attention was focused on the child for some seconds. But as soon as they saw Andrew on the driver's seat they noticed the resemblance between him and the baby.

"Where are you guys heading?" the man asked.

"Salt Lake City, officer."

"Well, it's a long journey. You'll need to make a stop somewhere, especially today cause maybe we'll have snow."

"We intend to get at Salt Lake on the Christmas eve, but we'll stop soon, sir, thanks."

"There's a motel some miles from here, it's not a fancy one but it's pretty good and you and your wife and son can rest for the night."

"Thanks, we'll stop there then."

"Merry Christmas to you!" The policemen waved and they let the Cadillac pass.

"Oh thank you, Father!" Monica exclaimed, as relieved as her dearest friend.

"See? I told you not to be worried!"

"Yes, but he only let us pass without further questions because he thought we were a family and especially because of the resemblance between you and wee Peter."

"Well, it may be. But this resemblance wouldn't have helped if I were alone with our little one. Having you here made all the difference!" he smiled and looked at her through the mirror, "Not to mention that I loved to have you as my 'wife'!"

Smiling cheerfully, she returned the look, "Well, be sure that wee Peter and I loved to have you as a 'daddy' and 'husband'!"

X

Andrew drove for some more miles when they finally found the motel the policemen had mentioned and elected to stop there. He and Monica where in human form and exhaustion for a whole day driving soon hit them. Besides, it was getting colder and darker and, most importantly, little Peter started to cry.

"Oh please, sweetheart, don't cry! Try to calm down..." Monica said, rocking the baby in her arms, as she and Andrew got out of the car.

"I guess he had a lot of adventures for one day! He wants to go to bed, right little buddy?" Andrew spoke, taking the baby's tiny hand and hearing another loud cry as a reply.

"I guess our wee one said 'yes'!"

He and Monica couldn't help but laugh, still trying to calm Peter down. But the little one didn't stop crying, not even after they had registered and settled in their room.

"Oh honey, what's the matter with you, huh?" Monica walked from one side to another rocking him.

"I guess we have to change him, Monica..." Andrew said, bringing the bags with the baby's things to their bedroom.

"Yes, and he must be hungry too. I'll do it." Monica placed the crying baby on the bed.

"I'll buy more diapers and some milk, then."

"Oh please, do it, and take the bottle of milk with you and ask the owner if it's possible to warm it up."

"Oh I'm sure she'll be pleased to do it, she loved our noisy little one! I'll be right back, ok?"

The blond angel placed a quick peck on her lips and left the room.

Andrew returned an hour later, as he had to go to a small city a bit far from the motel to buy the baby's things. He came back as fast as possible imagining that Monica would still be with little Peter in her arms trying to make him stop crying. But when he opened the bedroom door, an image nearly made his heart melt: the Irish angel was peacefully sleeping on the bed, with little Peter lying next to her, equally quiet and asleep.

Andrew carefully closed the door and placed the bags he was carrying on a nearby armchair. Silently, he tiptoed over to the bed and took a closer look at the twosome: Monica had changed the little baby and fed him, and certainly feeling tired, she lay down to rest for a few minutes and ended up sleeping, holding Peter's tiny hand.

Smiling, the blond angel took the baby's blanket and placed it over him. he checked inside the closet and found two other blankets; with one of them he gently covered Monica's sleeping form, not missing the opportunity to brush a loving kiss on her cheek. Then, Andrew lay down on the other side of the bed, facing the baby and his beloved friend, and covered himself with the other blanket.

But contrary to the Irish angel and the little boy, Andrew didn't sleep so soon; much on the contrary: he spent nearly an hour just staring at Monica and the baby, with his eyes full of love and tenderness. The blond angel stretched his arm and softly stroked Monica's cheek. "I love you so much... so deeply, honey... And I'm forever thankful you're here with me..." He whispered, enjoying the moment at the maximum, and only some time later, did he finally manage to sleep.

X

When Monica woke up on the next day, Christmas eve, she noticed that little Peter wasn't lying beside her anymore, but it took her only a second to find out where he was: the vision of Andrew sitting by the window, holding the little baby in his arms and feeding him caused a slight smile to appear on her sleepy face and she felt her heart immediately filled with tenderness and the deepest love. "Hey you two handsome boys..." she spoke, staring at her beloved friend with sparkling brown eyes.

Smiling, Andrew bent his head and whispered to the little boy, "Hey, little buddy, look who's up! That beautiful Angel Girl who took care of you yesterday!" then, he looked at Monica with the same tender eyes, "Good morning, angel."

Monica propped herself on her elbow, still admiring the image of her beloved friend holding Peter "You two look so cute together..."

Chuckling, Andrew looked down at the small creature in his arms, "I can't understand how humans can possibly complain about taking care of a baby! I mean, this is great, take a look at him. He is enjoying and it's like you had his life in your hands and he trusted you to watch over him..."

Monica got up and walked over to them. Then, she sat on the arm of the chair and caressed the baby's cheek, "Yes... I know what you mean."

They stood there, watching little Peter until he had finished to drink his milk. "You want me to stay with him?" Monica offered, as Andrew stood up and placed the boy close to his chest, his little head resting on his right shoulder.

"No, it's ok, I'll do that. Why don't you go and get changed, we'll have our breakfast and leave; there's a long distance until Salt Lake."

Giggling, as she could notice how much her beloved friend was enjoying to take care of little Peter, she nodded her head, "Ok, then..." and brushing a loving kiss on his cheek, she headed to the bathroom to have a shower and get changed so that they would continue their journey.

They left their suite and Monica was waiting for Andrew to pay for the bedroom near their car and holding little Peter in her arms. The boy was awake and much calmer than the night before and, as Monica spoke to him, he kept on smiling, "You're happy to go back home, aren't you, wee one? I'm sure this will be the best Christmas ya ever had! And your mom too; she'll be so happy when she holds you in her arms..." enchanted with Peter's toothless smile, she giggled and touched his tiny nose with hers, "And she's such a blessed mom to have such a cute little boy like you!"

Andrew came out of the motel and, marvelled with the image ahead of him, he came closer to them. "And you said that Peter and I look good together... Well, I'll tell you what: you both look just... beautiful!" he spoke, softly running his fingers through Monica's hair and gazing at her with tenderness and affection.

The Irish angel turned her head to face him with a content look, "He's so much calmer and smiling today and the reason is that you've been holding him since he woke up, you know. Babies can feel how much they're loved!" she said, causing Andrew to smile even more.

"Well, I guess being in your arms and looking at this pretty face of yours can do wonders too!"

The blond angel inched his face closer to hers and their lips finally met in a tender, sweet kiss. Little Peter started to move his tiny arms and tried to babble some sounds, turning the angels' attention back to him.

"Ok, little buddy, she's all yours!" Andrew joked, poking the baby's belly and making him laugh even more. Then, he looked inside the bags he had in his hands: in one of them, there were some baby toys he had bought the day before, together with some other things for Peter. "I thought that maybe he would like to play with these..." he took a rattle and shook it in front of the baby; the different sound immediately calling the little one's attention.

Monica would never get tired of watching the blond angel's care and affection for that child. Smiling and with all her love for him reflected in the sparkle of her eyes, she reached out and gently stroked his cheek, "You're enjoying this a lot, aren't you?"

"Well... Have you ever felt you're the perfect angel for the perfect assignment?" he asked, with a sheepish smile upon his handsome face.

Monica looked deep inside his green eyes, "Yes... that's what I'm feeling right now..."

Andrew turned to little Peter and joked, "Well, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait a bit more, buddy..." he inched closer and kissed Monica one more time; a long loving kiss, full of affection and tenderness.

X

Some time after driving, Monica and Andrew exchanged places and while Monica drove, the blond angel took the back seat; both of them having fun with Peter's gestures, smiles ad even cries, and enjoying every single moment with the baby, as well as with each other.

Finally at night, they arrived at Salt Lake City, and Andrew, back in the driver's seat, drove up to the house where Peter's mother lived, helped by Monica who knew the directions, as the young woman had been her assignment before. But they didn't find anybody at home; the house was empty.

"Where can she be? You said she doesn't have any family, no relatives..." Andrew spoke, still checking through the window.

"Well... she doesn't... But we have to find her soon, and our wee one cannot stay out here, it's too cold!" the Irish angel's worry was evident in her eyes. Holding little Peter in her arms, she came back to the Cadillac, followed by Andrew.

"What do we do now?" he asked, trying to figure out a solution to that situation.

His dearest friend was sitting right next to him now. "I don't know but we can't stay here Andrew, we have to find a shelter!" she sighed deeply.

The blond angel stroked the baby's cheek and nodded, "Yes, you're right... But we're out of money, we can't pay for a hotel."

Both were pensive for some seconds and then, at the same time, an idea crossed their minds and they looked at each other, "The church!"

They headed to the local church; it was almost 11 PM by that time and snow started to fall in the street. Before they left the Cadillac, the angels put some extra clothes on little Peter; then, they got out of the vehicle, with Monica holding the little baby close to her chest and Andrew holding her close to him, and quickly entered the beautiful building. It was empty at that time, as the service would only start in an hour. But a closer look at the nave revealed two people in there: a young woman, who was kneeling in front of the altar, with her hands conjoined, and a dark skinned old lady, who was standing some steps behind her. Monica and Andrew looked at each other and their worry was replaced by a great sensation of joy. They walked along the aisle and, as they were closer to the nave, the angels exchanged a happy look with Tess, who smiled proudly at them.

Then, Monica kept on walking, followed by her two dearest friends, and stood right behind the young woman, who had tears in her eyes and a sad and sorrowful expression on her face. She had been praying for some time and didn't even notice it when the Irish angel came closer to her.

"Sally?"

Sobbing, the young lady merely opened her eyes, without turning around. "Yes?"

"It's me, Monica..."

"Hi, Monica..."

"I looked for you in your house, but you weren't there..."

"I... I had to come here and keep praying, you know... I just couldn't stay there anymore, knowing that my baby is out there... Everywhere I look inside that house reminds me of him... his little toys, that he never used, are still in the same place... I can't even pass by his bedroom door..." she sobbed, "I lost so much, Monica..."

"But I'm glad you've been holding on to your faith and kept on praying... Cause God saw your tears, grieved with you..." Looking at Sally with compassion, the Irish angel knelt beside her, "...and sent His angels to help you find your little boy..."

The look in the young woman's face was one of amazement and shock when she saw the little baby in the angel's arms. Practically speechless, she covered her mouth with her hand and uttered a few words, "Oh... Oh my God... oh my God!!!"

Monica placed little Peter in her arms and Sally held him close to her chest and cried for several minutes. The boy was sleeping peacefully and unaware of what was happening around him.

Only some time later did his mother managed to control the flood of tears. It was then that Andrew and Tess approached her and the blond angel helped her to stand up. She looked at them with astonishment, "So... you're... you're angels too? Like Monica?"

"Yes, baby, we are!" Tess replied; she and Andrew happy to see mother and son finally together again.

"And our mission this Christmas was to bring your wee boy back to you..."

"It's my Christmas present, right?" she joked, her voice still hoarse.

"It is the evidence that there is a loving Father Who is always watching over you, Who is holding your hand through your journey on this Earth and Who is carrying you in His arms when your legs are weak and prevent you to walk..."

"A miracle..." Sally spoke, kissing her son's face. "... my little miracle..."

"Yes, Sally. A wonderful miracle from the Father to you..."

With a grateful expression on her face, the young woman smiled, "I'll spend the rest of my life thanking Him... And thank you too... Thank you so much for bringing my little Peter back to me!"

"You don't need to thank us... In fact, I'm sure Andrew and I will miss this wee one very much!" Monica said, taking the baby's tiny hand.

Andrew joined her and stroked the boy's blond hair, "Oh yes... we did have a lot of fun together, right, little buddy?"

The service started some time later and, with happiness evident on their faces, they attended the beautiful celebration, with their hearts filled of gratitude and joy.

X

And when the service was over, Tess, Monica and Andrew, now unseen to the human eye, observed as Sally left the church carrying her little son in her arms.

"I'm so proud of you babies! I knew you'd do great!" Tess exclaimed, looking at her two dearest charges.

Andrew wrapped his arms around Monica, bringing her even closer to him, "And I'm grateful that the Father sent us two together in this assignment, Tess. Truly grateful!" he spoke, looking at his beloved angel girl with tender eyes.

"Well, and what other angels would He send to work on this mission other than you two?" the supervisor replied, playfully looking at them from head to toe and causing them to smile.

Monica rested her head on Andrew chest and, with a pensive expression on her beautiful face, she sighed, "But you know what? Andrew is right, I'll miss wee Peter, you know... I loved taking care of him. It would've been a pleasure to keep him for some more time..."

"Are you just saying that you'd like to have this poor woman waiting for her son for some more days, Miss Wings?!"

"Oh no, Tess! Never! What I mean is that if we had found him earlier, we would've had more time to spend with him..." Then, the Irish angel finally spoke what was already on her mind, "Tess... do you think that it would be possible for angels..."

"Don't ask me, Miss Wings! I guess you drank way too much coffee in the last 24 hours! And I have a pretty good idea who is responsible for that!" she grumbled, staring suspiciously at Andrew, who shrugged his shoulders and looked back at her with an innocent face.

"Hey... what are you talking about, Tess?"

"Oh, let's go back Home!" the supervisor started to walk out of the church, and, finding her annoyance quite funny, Andrew and Monica followed her.

"Well... keeping that cute wee boy for some more time would've been wonderful. But I'm glad he found his mommy." The Irish angel said, never releasing her hold on Andrew, who nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, me too. And do you know what would be even more wonderful?"

"What?"

"Having one like him..." he whispered in her ear. Monica looked at his green eyes with all the love in her heart evident in her own eyes.

"That would be the most amazing miracle I could ever witness..."

A slight smile appeared on Andrew's handsome face and he kept on speaking, "Well... our love is a miracle, isn't it? What we have to do is to make a wish and keep on dreaming..."

"...or maybe waiting for this wish to come true!" she completed; and they shared a small tender kiss before disappearing.

To be continued.


	6. An angel to watch over me

Angel Of Mine Episode 6: An Angel To Watch Over Me 

Monica was impatiently walking from one side to another in the porch of the cabin that she and her dearest friends used to spend their days off. It was located in the mountains and surrounded by green trees; a gift from the Father and a perfect place for one of His angels to recover from a bad cold. Monica had had caught a flu once, but she would never get accustomed to human diseases.

Now it wasn't different: she had spent the last three days isolated in the little wooden house with all the symptoms common to that disease: fever, cough and congested nose. Tess and Andrew had been there to check on her whenever they could, but the supervisor had to work on an emergency and Andrew had been requested at some other place. He told Monica that he would be working on an assignment with Adam and asked the Irish angel to stay there and rest. Although he didn't tell her about the danger it involved, Monica knew it would be risky and now she was anxious for some news.

Finally, the Irish angel saw Adam walking towards the porch and she climbed down the few steps to meet him, "Adam? Is it over? Where is Andrew?" she asked, deeply worried, and with a hoarse voice. The angel of death smiled and placed his hand over her shoulders.

"Calm down, sweetie! The assignment was fulfilled and Andrew is fine!"

"Oh, thank you Father!" the Irish angel heaved a sigh of relief.

"There was some danger but the thieves ended up surrendering and they let the hostages in the bank go. Nobody got hurt."

"Oh Adam! What a good piece of news you're giving me!" she exclaimed, a smile upon her face.

"Yes. But Andrew had a quick assignment after this one and he asked me to come here and tell you what happened, cause he knew how worried you would be."

"I was. I know he was on assignment and that the Father would be taking care of you two but my heart was aching to know if he was alright!"

"I am, angel..." a sudden voice interrupted their conversation and she turned around to face her dearest friend.

"Andrew!" Monica exclaimed, holding him tightly, "Oh thank God you're here!"

"And I was worried about you!" he replied, also holding her as tightly as he could and not missing the hoarseness in her voice and the warmth in her skin. "You shouldn't be outside, and barefoot!"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't stay inside the house wondering how you were!"

He pulled away and gently stroked her cheek. "I knew it. That's why I asked Adam to come here."

"And I have to confess that I too got really worried when Andrew told me you were ill, Monica!" the other angel of death spoke.

"It's a bad flu, Adam. But I'm recovering..."

"I hope so..." he checked his pocket watch, "I'll have to go now. But I know that Andrew will take care of you, sweetie."

"I sure will!"

Adam kissed the top of her head and shook hands with Andrew and, a second later, he was gone. Andrew looked down at the Irish angel with a stern expression on his face, "And you're going inside that house right now! You've been way too much disobedient!"

Monica couldn't help but giggle at his stern tone of voice, "Yes, sir!"

He led her to the interior of the cabin and made her sit on the comfortable couch, taking a seat right in front of her, "Now tell me, what did you eat while Tess and I were out?" he asked, taking her hand and tenderly stroking her cheek.

"Well... Tess made some pasta, you know... But I'm not really hungry... I had just a little..."

"I'm gonna make something for you right now, you need to eat, Monica!" his concern was evident in his eyes, but, before he could stand up, she squeezed his hand.

"No, Andrew, wait, please..." as he looked at her questioningly, she continued to talk, "Stay here with me a little? I missed you so much... and I worried so much..."

The pleading look in her eyes was something the blond angel would never be able to resist, as he was always willing to do everything and anything she asked him. Leaning in the sofa, Andrew gathered the little angel in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Ok... but it's just a little. I'll cook something for you and you will eat it, you hear me?"

"Yes..." she sighed, enjoying the feeling of being in his strong arms and resting her head against his chest.

They remained like this for several minutes, when he finally broke the silence. "I missed you, angel... Very much!"

"And I'm so glad the Father brought you back to me safe and sound."

He cupped her chin and lifted her head up, "He always will. He knows how much I love you, Monica!"

A broad smile appeared on her face, "I love you too, Andrew. So much that I was praying that you could stay a wee bit more with me here, you know, during your free time."

"Oh Monica... there's no place I'd rather be than here with you."

And, with happiness and relief for being together again in each other's arms, their faces inched closer and their lips finally met in a loving and tender kiss.

"These assignments without you, angel... It seems that there is a part of me missing..." he spoke, softly running his fingers through her hair.

"I feel exactly the same... And that's because you are a part of me, Andrew..."

He bent his head and kissed her again, always slowly and tenderly, holding her as if he was holding the most precious thing the world or in Heaven (and indeed, he was, as the little Irish angel was part of his existence, his soul mate).

He lay gentle kisses on her cheeks and forehead and, once again, on her lips. Monica raised her hand to stroke his handsome face and smiled, slightly blushed.

"What?" the blond angel asked, also smiling and placing some strands of hair behind her ear.

"You'll end up catching a flu from me!"

Andrew chuckled and brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "It'll be a pleasure!"

Monica was going to laugh but she ended up coughing intensely and Andrew quickly made her sit up straight and patted her back until it slowly subsided.

"I'm sorry..." she spoke, with some tears in her eyes and with her face completely red due to the effort she had to make.

"Oh Monica... you have nothing to be sorry about..." he spoke, now gently rubbing her back and extremely worried. "Are you better now? Is it over?"

"Yes..."

Andrew put some pillows together and made her lie down on the couch, "So now you'll stay right here while I prepare you some hot soup, ok?"

The blond angel covered her with a warm blanket but Monica seemed a bit reluctant, "Don't you need any help? I could help you to prepare it..."

Despite Monica's illness, Andrew had to control himself not to laugh at her offer, "No, honey, you'll stay here and rest ok? I'll do it for you."

"That's not fair... You and Tess are always doing these things for me..."

"That's because Tess and I love you very, very much!"

"I love Tess so much. She's like a mother to us, Andrew..." and then she smiled, "And of course I love you too, very, very much!"

"You do?" he asked, with a playful tone in his voice, which caused her to giggle. Weakly, she reached out and grabbed his face with both hands and brought it close to hers, kissing him tenderly.

"Yes, I do!" Monica said, afterwards.

"Hum... ok, you convinced me..." he joked, and softly stroked her face, "Now you wait here, ok? I'll be right back."

She nodded her head like an obedient little girl, "Ok..."

Half hour later, Andrew came back with a plate full of soup, but the image of Monica fast asleep in the couch, so peaceful and relaxed, nearly made him give up of waking her up. The blond angel placed the dish on the coffee table and knelt on the floor, right beside the couch, to take a closer look at her angelic face. The love he felt inside his heart was such that sometimes even he himself was surprised by how fast and how much it grew every single minute.

Andrew took some strands of hair off her face and sighed, "I love you so much, Monica..." He watched her sleep for another minute and then rubbed his thumb on her temple, "Monica... wake up, honey..."

"... the coffee is ready, Andrew?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, "No, baby, there's no coffee for you this time, I'm sorry to inform you!"

"What? No coffee?" she replied, now fully awake (and a bit scared to hear that), which only made him laugh even more, "Well, not now. But..." he took the dish of soup in his hands, "... if you promise you'll behave yourself and drink all the soup I prepared you, then MAYBE later you will be allowed to have a cup!"

Monica frowned, although she found the stern tone in his voice quite funny, "You sound like Tess!"

"Well, that's good to know cause right now you'll fulfil my orders without complaining!"

"But you look cute when you're pretending to be tough, you know?"

"I mean it, Monica! You won't get any coffee if you don't eat!"

Giggling at his authoritarian attitude, the little Irish angel sat up straight and nodded her head, "Ok, then..."

"Hum... It's delicious!" Monica exclaimed, carefully holding a large mug of mocha with cinnamon and extra cream.

Andrew was sitting on the couch with her leaning in his arms, both in front of a warm fireplace, and couldn't help chuckling at her childlike excitement. "You don't deserve it! You know that!"

"Oh but I drank most of the soup!" she protested, taking another sip afterwards.

"That was not our deal! You tricked me into giving you this cup of coffee! You know I can't seem to deny you anything and took advantage of this!"

She started to giggle, causing him to laugh too, but for a different reason: she had a cream 'moustache' on her pretty face. He wiped it with a napkin and kissed her lips several times.

"Well... at least you're right... the coffee really tasted wonderful!" he spoke, receiving a peck on his cheek.

When she finally finished, the Irish angel placed the mug on the coffee table and snuggled up against him, "Thank you..." She sighed, yawning and feeling her eyelids heavy.

"Well, now that you've already tricked me into giving you coffee, deliberately disobeyed my orders not to go out of the house and refused to drink the soup I prepare you, you're heading straight to bed, Miss Wings!"

Giggling, she opened her eyes and looked at him, "You're definitely cute when you play the 'tough angel'!"

"That's not for you to laugh, Monica!" he replied, still with a stern tone in his voice.

But the Irish angel ignored his superficial distress and tightened her hold around his waist. "Can't I stay here? It's warm and I love the fire, you know..."

Andrew rolled his eyes, "Are you just telling me that you'll disobey my orders again?"

Smiling, despite her weak condition, she sat up straight and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her, and placed lots of tiny kisses on his lips and cheeks, "Please?" she asked, and laughed when he rolled his eyes for the second time.

"That's cheating!"

But realising that his mock annoyance only caused her to laugh even more, he gave up scolding her and took off his shoes to lie together with her on the couch.

He threw the warm blanket over both of them and lay against the pillows, waiting until she settled comfortably (and deeply pleased) in his arms.

"Thank you again, Andrew. I love you..." she spoke, kissing his cheek and resting her head underneath his chin.

"I love you too... Though you've been quite rebellious recently!" he replied, enjoying the sound of her giggling. "But I'll tell you what: don't you dare moving from here this time, miss!"

"Oh don't worry. You can be sure I'll behave myself now and I won't move a step away from you, I promise..."

"Good! Cause I won't let you try it anyway! I got a firm hold on you!"

With his heart full of love, he tightened his embrace, gently and protectively, happy to spend those precious moments with her but also wishing that she would get better soon.

Monica sighed with contentment, "Yes... I know. And I'm twice grateful... First because the Father sent an angel to watch over me, and second because this angel is you..."

"I love you, baby..." he whispered, kissing the top of her head repeatedly. He waited until she had fallen asleep in his arms and lifted a prayer of thanks for receiving such a wonderful gift: Monica's true and unconditional love for him, which was so strong that he could feel it flowing straight to his heart. Then, the blond angel also closed his eyes and fell into a calm and contented sleep.

To be continued


	7. Happy Valentine's Day!

Angel Of Mine Series Episode 7: Happy Valentine's Day! 

"... and remember, Annie, that God loves you, He is your best friend, the One Who is always holding your hand and laughing with you in the good times and crying with you during the sad ones..."

"I know, Monica... And I promise I'll take care of myself from now on; it's good to know that I'm not alone!'

"You're never alone, Annie. Never. And remember that now your husband lives in the presence of God now; the same Loving Father Who watches over you."

The young woman, who seemed to be still in her twenties, nodded her head with tears of emotion in her eyes, "I still miss my dear Richard so much, you know... it hurts so much not being with him... Especially in days like today..."

"I know it hurts; it's been less than a year that he's gone, it's still very recent," the Irish angel said, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder and aware of all the suffering she was feeling: she couldn't even start to imagine what her existence would be without a beloved angel by her side. "But don't forget that time and, most importantly, God's love will heal this pain."

"I know He will, Monica, now I know this. He even sent me an angel to help me to see the truth and to comfort my heart on Valentine's Day..."

Smiling at the young lady and realising a trace of hope in her eyes, Monica took her hand, "I'll pray for you, Annie. I'll pray that you can rebuild your life, that you can start it all over again here, in your hometown, and that you can find a good and kind man who loves you and who wants to spend the next 50 years of his life at your side. You're still very young, dear, and the Father wants you to live your life with happiness, not with eternal grieve. Remember to always hold on to your faith."

"I will!" the young girl said, smiling with confidence at the beautiful angel in front of her. She and Monica were in the sidewalk of a countryside town (which had grown a lot in the last years), standing in front of a red mail box and next to a big oak tree, and, once again, the little Irish angel had succeeded in accomplishing her assignment, bringing faith, hope and reassurance to a lonely and miserable young widow.

Suddenly, a small van, with the logo of a flower shop, was parked near the sidewalk, and a second later, a man got out of the vehicle and approached them, holding a beautiful bouquet of red roses and checking a paper he had in his other hand. He had a puzzled expression on his face and, frowning, he cleared his throat, "Excuse me, are you Monica?"

"Yes." She replied, smiling friendly at him.

He gave her the flowers, "Well... these are for you, lady..."

"Oh my goodness! They're gorgeous!" she exclaimed, a bit surprised and smelling their perfume.

Seeing that unexpected present, Annie smiled, "Hey Monica, you never told me you had an admirer!" she said, causing the Irish angel to blush.

"Well..."

"Look at these roses! They're gor..."

At that moment, the young woman stared at the man who had just delivered the flowers and a surprised expression appeared on her face, "Daniel!"

"Annie!" he replied, as surprised as she was, "God! I thought you had left the city! The last time I heard from you I was told that you had married!

"Well, I did, a couple of years ago, but... Richard, my husband, died in a car accident last winter..."

"Gee! I'm so sorry, Annie, I didn't know, I'm really, really sorry..." he was immediately sympathetic.

"Thank you, Danny... I met some really good people who helped me through this difficult hour and now I know that Richard is in peace, in God's arms..." she replied, with a slight smile, and looking at Monica, "Danny and I were in highschool together; Danny this is my friend Monica... oh, well, you already know her name!"

"Nice to meet you madam..." he greeted, now with the previous intrigued look back on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Danny!" the Irish angel replied, glad to see the happiness a sudden meeting with a dear old friend could produce in their faces.

"I can see you didn't leave the city, right?" Annie continued to speak.

"Yes I decided to stay, contrary to most of our friends, and opened my own business together with Steven Parker; we now own a flower shop and we produce and sell the flowers to all the nearby cities, including Salt Lake."

"Oh, that's great! I'm really happy for you, Danny! You were such a good friend and deserve to have success in your life! But... do you have to deliver the flowers too?"

"Oh, no! It's usually done by another person, but Steve and I had a bet..." Still surprised, the young man took a paper and a pen and gave them to Monica, "Could you sign this, please?"

"Sure..." she said, while he observed her with haunted eyes.

The man kept on talking, "The gentleman who ordered the flowers gave us this specific address... 'Ethan Street, next to the big oak tree, in front of a red mail box'... Steve, and everybody else at the shop, thought it was a joke, that I wouldn't find anyone in this place, but now they owe me 50 bucks!"

They laughed and Monica and Annie exchanged a quick glance – now that the young woman knew who the auburn haired lady really was, she knew pretty well that unexpected and incredible things like this weren't impossible.

Monica took the small card that had come in between the flowers and, reading the sender's name, her smile grew wider, "Well, the gentleman knew I would be exactly here, you know."

"That's what I call precision!"

"And what are you planning to do with your 50 bucks you've just won?" the angel wanted to know.

"Well... I have no idea, I must admit that I thought I wouldn't find anybody here..." then, an idea crossed his mind and he looked at the young lady, "Hey, Annie, are you doing anything special tonight?"

"No, I came back to the city 2 days ago, to be honest..."

"Would you like to go out, maybe eat something while we do some catching up with our lives?"

"Oh that would be lovely!"

Now with a hint of mischief, the angel studied their faces carefully and, a second later, she smiled, feeling an inward happiness and the certainty that her assignment had turned out better than she had previously expected, thanks to a dear and beloved friend, whom she longed to see and thank on that special day.

Monica watched her assignment go away and then looked at her flowers, admiring them with a lovely smile upon her pretty face. Then, she took the opportunity to read the card which had come together with them in its entirety:

i"_My dear angel girl, _

_I saw these flowers and felt sorry for them, as they couldn't reflect half of the beauty I see in your heart; so I had the idea to send them to you and now I'm sure they look infinitely better..._

_... though they will never manage to be as beautiful as you are!_

_I love you forever._

_Your eternal valentine,_

_Andrew._

_PS. Take a look at the envelope..._"/i

Happiness evident on her face, and she placed the note against her heart, with some tears of joy threatening to fall at any minute. Then, she looked inside the small envelope and found a paper heart. Still smiling, and now a bit confused, she read the message in the paper:

"Ii_Get 3 hearts and receive a kiss._

_PS. Have you posted any letter today?_/i"

Letting out a small giggle, she gave a few steps and examined the mail box: moments later, she found another small heart glued on the upper part of it. With curiosity, she read its content:

"i_You're getting warm..._

_... why don't you stay under the shadow of the oak tree to escape from the heat?_/i"

With a smile that would never disappear from her face, the little Irish angel walked over up to the huge tree at the end of the street and carefully examined its trunk. It didn't take her too long to find another paper heart, with a third message written on it:

"i_Congratulations, angel! You've accomplished your assignment!_

_PS 2. I love you again._/i"

Immediately after she read the small sentences, Monica felt a loving presence right behind her and, now happier than never, she turned around to face a smiling Andrew.

"Good afternoon, angel..." he greeted; his green eyes sparkling with love for her.

"Oh there you are..." she replied, also looking deep inside his eyes, her heart suddenly beating faster due to the great love she felt for him, "I was looking for you..." she kept on speaking, now with amusement.

Chuckling, the blond angel stepped closer to her, with his hands on his back, "Really? What can I do for you?"

"Well, I found these 3 wee hearts, you know, and now I'd like to know who I have to talk to in order to claim my prize..." she spoke, showing him the 3 paper hearts.

With a mischievous expression on his handsome face, he gave one more step, standing only a few inches apart from her, "Well... I happen to be the angel in charge of this... You can claim your prize anytime you want, I'll be happy to give it to you..."

Giggling at his solemn tone of voice, she wrapped one of her arms around his neck, keeping the bouquet of roses on the other one, "Ok, then, Mr 'angel in charge of this'! What about giving me my prize right now?"

"As you wish..."

He held her tightly in his arms, bringing her even closer to him, and bent his head. Then, watching as she closed her eyes, the blond angel raised his hand and stroked her face as gently as a soft breeze. He placed tender kisses on her forehead, on her left and right cheek, on the tip of her nose and, finally, on her lips.

Their kiss was sweet and slow, there was no hurry: they felt as if the rest of the world had stopped just to allow them that always magical moment, so full of emotion and, most importantly, full of the purest and most beautiful love.

Andrew moved his hand from her cheek and started to run his fingers through her auburn hair, while she moved her hand to caress his face, never breaking their loving kiss.

Only a long minute later, when air became an issue, did they part. Andrew placed a tender kiss on her forehead and stroked her cheek, enjoying it when she wrapped her arm around his neck again, now in a warm embrace. He held her tightly, burying his face on her shoulder, not missing the opportunity to smell her sweet perfume, and, seconds later, pulled away to kiss her lips once again.

"... hum... am I wrong or the little ad on the first paper heart said the prize was only one kiss?" the Irish angel asked, with an amused smile, when they finally parted.

"Are you complaining?" he asked, also with amusement, and causing her to giggle.

"No, absolutely; this is only a remark..."

"Well, ok, then. There is a special bonus for the one who arrives in the first place!"

Monica frowned with slight annoyance when she heard his teasing words, "Hey! What do you mean by 'first place'! Are you, by any chance, telling me that there is a second and a third place!"

Laughing at the upset tone in her voice and at the way she stared at him, he grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her lips one more time, "You know you look quite cute when you get jealous?"

"That is not funny!"

"I'm sorry, baby, but it is! You're definitely adorable!" he spoke, kissing the tip of her nose, and then he became serious, "And... just for the record, there would never be a second and a third place, you know this heart here belongs only to you, angel." It was far too clear that the Irish angel wasn't really upset with him and, hearing those words, she smiled with tenderness as he kept on talking, "And you mean the world to me. With you, my existence is complete..."

That statement, along with the sincerity in the way he looked at her, brought tears to her eyes, and she gently touched his cheek, "Andrew... I love you so much, so deeply... and I'm so grateful that the Father allowed us to see each other in a special day like this; I thought I wouldn't see you, that we would be apart from each other, working on different assignments today..."

"I thought that myself. Matter of fact, I prayed for a moment with you, even if it was only a few minutes, so that I could tell you again how much I love you. And you have no idea how happy I was when I got the call to meet you here, some minutes ago."

"Oh yes, I do have... I know this is mostly a human holiday but if it's meant to remember the one we love, then I can't help feeling like celebrating it, because, when think about it, it's always your face I see in my mind; it's always your loving presence inside my heart."

Smiling with tenderness, they inched their faces closer and their lips met once again.

"How long can you stay?" she wanted to know, still holding him close to her, her face standing only a couple of inches from his, and loathing the idea of seeing him going away from her.

"I don't know. I was told to meet you here and wait... I guess I'll know when it's time to leave."

"I see..."

Brushing a tender peck on her lips, Andrew wrapped one arm around her shoulder and they started walking along the lane. "Let's try not think about it right now and enjoy those moments together, ok? So, how was your assignment?"

"Better than I expected, and thanks to you!" she replied, gazing at him with gratitude and constant growing love.

"To me? Why?"

"Well, the young man who delivered the flowers and Annie were old school friends and hadn't seen each other for a long time. But now, after our unintentional little push, something tells me that they'll meet quite often to catch up with their lives, you know..."

The blond angel didn't miss the hint of mischief in her eyes and in her voice when she said that and couldn't help chuckling, "So you mean we did a quick 'matchmaking assignment'!"

Giggling, she nodded her head, "Yes! And I really enjoyed that, especially in a day like today!"

Suddenly, an old man, elegantly dressed in a white suit and a bow tie approached the two angels. He was carrying a small suitcase and a bouquet of flowers similar to the one Andrew had given Monica.

"Excuse me... I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if you could help me..."

"Sure, what can we do for you, sir?" the blond angel said; he and Monica didn't miss the slight worry in the man's eyes.

"Are you two from here? Do you live in this town?"

"Oh no, we're just visiting," Monica replied.

"Oh dear God... then I don't think you'll be able to help me..." there was now a disappointed expression on his face, mixed with some sadness.

Monica and Andrew looked at each other and the Irish angel placed a supportive hand on his arm, "Sir? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, thanks, young lady. Just a bit tired..."

"We're not from here, but if you tell us exactly what you need maybe we can help you," Andrew said; he and Monica already feeling sorry for that man.

"Well, I've been travelling for nearly 3 days to get here, you know. And now that I'm here, I'm a bit lost..."

"What are you looking for exactly?"

"I'm looking for a person, her name is Margaret Davis, she's my girlfriend!" the old man informed, now with a content smile upon his face and that piece of information caused the two angels to exchange an amused glance.

"Oh... I see..." Monica replied, now curious to know more about it.

"We've been together for 1 year! Today is our anniversary!" he explained.

"And... don't you have her address or phone number?"

"Oh Margaret doesn't have a phone number; she uses the library computer."

"I beg your pardon?" Andrew spoke, now as confused as Monica.

"We've met each other on the internet, that's how we've been dating; she lived in New Jersey, I live in New York."

The angels exchanged a third surprised (and equally amused) glance, "Oh, internet, huh? Well, aren't computers great?" the blond angel said.

"Oh yes, they really are! After all, they helped me to find the love of my life!"

"I'm happy for you, sir... But... You said she lives in New Jersey and we're in Utah..."

"Oh yes, that's right, young lady. What happens is that Margaret moved to this little town 2 days ago, with her only niece, and we didn't have the chance to talk about the address or phone number, as she was still waiting for a confirmation of her new address. But as today is our anniversary, I decided to surprise her and come here anyway, just to see her!"

Andrew and Monica we both moved with such a loving attitude, but the blond angel was also worried, "That's... that's a very beautiful gesture, mister..."

"Charles Peters!"

"Mr Peters, but it's gonna be a bit difficult to find her if you don't have any address or phone number, I think..."

"Oh no, Andrew! I know where she lives!" Monica interrupted her dearest friend, with a broad smile upon her face.

"You do?" he and Mr Peters spoke.

"Yes! I know Miss Davis and her niece! Annie is her name and she lost her husband some months ago."

"Yes, that's it! Margaret was thinking about moving to Annie's hometown to help her to go through with her loss..."

Monica looked at Andrew with a content spark in her eyes and he chuckled with surprise, "I'm glad I came here with Tess car!" he said, "So... what are we waiting for?"

The angels took Mr Peters until Annie's house, whose address Monica knew pretty well, and when they parked Tess' Cadillac in front of the beautiful house, the old gentleman didn't waste any second in rushing towards the doorbell. Monica and Andrew stood some steps behind, by the white fence, just observing that so much awaited encounter.

A few seconds later, an old lady opened the door and, when she saw Mr Peters, an expression of surprise and emotion appeared on her face.

"Oh my God, Charlie!"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Maggie!"

The couple shared a loving and tight embrace, which caused Monica and Andrew to exchange a pleased look, and the blond angel didn't miss the opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulder and kiss the top of her head.

Andrew and Monica left Miss Davis' house some time later and, hand in hand, they headed to the red Cadillac.

"They are adorable!" the Irish angel said, with a contented sigh.

"I'd say they're an adorable modern couple!" Andrew agreed, with a smile.

"Isn't it amazing how the Father can bring two souls together and make them feel as if they had really found their other half? As... as if they had some kind of connection and were really meant to stay by each other's side forever and ever?"

The blond angel chuckled at Monica's philosophic mood; her habit to make a comment on everything that happened around her was one of the numerous things he loved about her, and his smile grew wider, "Yes, it really is. After all, even angels can feel this way..." he said, causing Monica to look at him. With an extra spark of happiness in her eyes, she placed her hand on his cheek and made him bend his head to face her. Then, standing on the tip of her toes, she brushed a tender kiss on his lips and they entered the car a moment later.

Monica and Andrew spent the rest of the afternoon riding along the countryside, as the blond angel knew how much his beloved friend loved to watch the nature, and they took the opportunity to spend some time chatting about their latest assignments and everything else that had happened during their time apart from each other, as they always did when they had to work on different missions.

"That was a beautiful Valentine's day, you know. I love being in the countryside, it's always so... so green and full of... of viscosity..." the little Irish angel said, observing the orange coloured afternoon sky with contentment and causing Andrew to chuckle at her wording, "... it reminds me of my beloved Ireland!"

A pleased smile appeared on the corner of Andrew's lips, "Well, I agree, it was really a beautiful day and this place is great. But you know what make them perfect? Being here with the cutest and most adorable valentine on this earth and in Heaven!"

"Really?" she replied, enjoying his flirting.

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, "Really."

They exchanged a loving glance and remained with their hands intertwined for another minute, when Andrew made a turn and something caught their attention.

"Good Heavens, what is it?" the Irish angel spoke, she and her dearest friend frowning with concern: up ahead of them there was another car, stopped in the middle of the road. The driver had opened the hood and was trying to fix something, while, near him, an old man paced from one side to another with visible impatience. Andrew parked Tess' car near them and both angels approached the vehicle.

"Excuse us... I can see there's a problem with your car; can I help you with something?" he asked, observing how damaged the engine looked like.

"Oh, thanks sir, but I'm afraid you can't. The car broke down and it'll be necessary a mechanic to repair it!" the man who was trying to fix the motor said, putting the hood down.

"That had to happen today!" the other man spoke, with a bit of anger.

"Why? Is it any special occasion? I can see you're both dressed up to..."

"Andrew!" Monica interrupted him, drawing his attention to the interior of the car, where a young woman, wearing a beautiful bride's outfit, was crying helplessly in the back seat.

"It's my daughter's wedding, but it'll be in a farm, far from here!" the old man explained.

Monica came closer to the car window already feeling sorry for that young lady. "Excuse me..." she said, reaching the front door to talk to her and maybe put her heart at ease. The young woman looked at the angel through blurred vision. "Please, don't cry..."

"... today is the most important day of my life..."

"I can imagine that but you shouldn't let despair consume you, you're such a beautiful bride!" the Irish angel replied.

"And how am I supposed to get there in time? You heard my father, the farm is far from the city, it takes over an hour to get there and I'm already late! Oh God, please, help me!" she spoke, while tears rolled down her cheeks. Monica looked at Andrew, who had come closer to her, and no words needed to be spoken between them, as they already knew what the other was thinking.

"Stay calm, Karen, I'm almost done with your make up!" Monica was sitting in the back seat of Tess' Cadillac and giving the last touch in the young bride's appearance, a bit damaged by her early tears. Andrew and Karen's father were in the front seat and the blond angel had driven as fast as he could to get to the farm on time. Fortunately, the delay was a small one and they finally managed to get there.

Now, while Andrew and the bride's father waited outside the car, Monica straightened Karen's hair and surveyed her outfit one last time. "I guess I've finished! And you look absolutely gorgeous!" the little angel said, pleased to see happiness back on the woman's face.

"Oh God... thank you! Thank you so much, Monica! If it hadn't been for you and Andrew I don't know what would've happened! Got sent you two on my way, I'm sure of this!"

"Well, now I have to agree with you!" Monica replied, happy to hear those words, "but don't you cry anymore, you have a wedding to go!" she helped Karen to get out of the car. The young woman wrapped her arm around her father's and, before they started a walk towards the build up altar, they looked at the two angels with gratitude in their eyes.

"Thank you, Andrew, Monica. May God bless you for what you did for us!" the old man said.

Andrew took Monica's hand and laced his fingers with hers, "He already blessed us, sir." He looked at his beloved friend with all his love evident in the spark of his eyes.

"Monica, I wish you more happiness than what I'm feeling right now... if this can ever be possible!" the young bride spoke, taking the Irish angel's hand.

"Thank you, Karen. Have a happy marriage!"

As they started to walk towards the altar, before the guest's enchanted eyes, Andrew wrapped his arm around Monica's shoulder, bringing her closer to him, and the angels watched the whole celebration.

"Oh Andrew! Isn't it beautiful?" Monica said, sniffling and with tears of emotion rolling down her eyes after the priest had finally pronounced Karen and her fiancé husband and wife. With a moved smile upon his face, always aware of the sensitive creature she was, Andrew offered her a handkerchief and brushed a loving kiss on her temple.

"Yes, and it seems that we really have been the 'matchmaker angels' for one day!"

"Well, I'm glad for that cause I love these kind of assignments! Look at how happy Karen is!" she kept on talking with a crying voice.

Andrew squeezed his beloved friend, "I'm glad too cause I could share it with you!" he whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek. Still shedding tears of emotion, the Irish angel rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist.

When the ceremony was finally finished, there was a small reception (to which the angels had been happily invited) and, at a certain point, the single female guests were gathered together: the bride would throw her bouquet. Much to Karen's insistence, Monica also took part in it, being observed at a some distance, by her beloved friend.

The young woman turned her back to the others and, after some suspense, she finally threw her bouquet towards the group. And, to everybody's surprise, it landed straight in Monica's hands.

"Oh my goodness!" The little Irish angel blushed deeply and looked at Andrew, who couldn't help but smiling at her with all the love in his heart.

"Congratulations, Monica! Getting the bouquet means you're gonna be the next one to get married!" Karen spoke, secretly happy that the angel had caught the flowers, "And I guess I can have a bit of an idea who the lucky guy you'll be!" she had a hint of mischief in her face, which made Monica blush twice more.

Andrew approached the two, his smile growing wider with the young woman's words, "Second bouquet in just one day! You're really special, angel..."

Slightly embarrassed, yet with a pretty smile upon her (now pink) face, she lowered her head, "You know you're both making me blush?" she spoke.

Karen let out a giggle, "Yeah, you're blushing deeply, but I have to repeat once again that I wish you both all the happiness in the world! I can notice how much you love each other and you deserve to be happy!" she left a second later, to give attention to the other guests.

Andrew gave a step closer to Monica and gently placed the palm of his hand against her cheek, "What she doesn't know is that I'm already happy because I have you here, by my side, for the rest of eternity."

A slight smile appeared on her face and the Irish angel looked at the bouquet in her hands and after at him with some uncertainty, "... have you ever wondered if... if..."

"Yes," he replied, his green eyes sparkling with love for her, "And we should never forget that He answers to our prayers, angel... the best evidence is how He answered to mine today and sent me here to stay with you, on this special day..."

She placed her hand over his one, treasuring his gentle touch, "Every day I spent with you is special, Andrew. And so is the place you have here inside my heart."

He bent his head and their lips met in a loving, sweet kiss, full of emotion, affection and the purest love. "I love you forever, angel."

"I love you too, Andrew, for the rest of eternity."

He could see there were tears in the corner of her eyes, and that they soon rolled down her cheeks. Andrew was quick to wipe them away with gentle fingers and after he took the bouquet from her hands to place it on a nearby table. Then, he grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and her lips.

"So, let's continue to enjoy our time together?"

"Ok..." she replied, smiling cheerfully despite her previous tears.

"Good," the blond angel took her both hands and kissed their back, "May I have this dance, my pretty valentine?"

Her smile grew wider and she nodded her head with contentment, "Yes, my dear, sweet valentine!"

Keeping one of her hands in his one, and placing it against his heart, he wrapped his other arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Monica, for herself, placed her arm around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh as they both started to dance.

There was romantic music playing and filling the air, making that one a pleasant and happy night for the inhabitants of that small town; especially for some of them, who had been touched by angels that had sowed a seed of love in their hearts on that special day.

To be continued.


	8. You're in my soul

Angel of Mine Series Episode 8: You're in my soul 

Ps. Thanks to my sister Gaby (Hawaianangelgirl) for the help with this episode!

A tall blond angel waked along the vast green field with a content smile on the corner of his lips and with lilacs in his hand, and his hurried pace indicated that he was looking for something, or, in that case, for someone. The bright blue sky and the warm sun, which brought more colour and beauty to that peaceful part of the Earth, helped Andrew to spot another angel standing under a huge oak tree.

Standing on her feet, Monica observed her surroundings and let the gentle breeze dishevel some strands of her auburn hair. But instead of rejoicing for being in such a beautiful place and admiring the Father's creation (like she always did), the Irish angel had tears in her brown eyes and an expression of sorrow all over her meek face.

Andrew came from behind her and, initially, he didn't notice that she was crying. But a sudden sensation of sadness invaded his heart and, deep down inside, he felt like holding Monica as tightly as he could; something that he was always longing for.

"I thought these would look more beautiful if you were holding them..." he said, placing his hand over her shoulder and showing her the small lilacs. As she turned around to face him, his heart immediately clenched with sorrow and apprehension to see his beloved Monica crying so desperately, and the blond angel quickly put his hand on her cheek, "Monica? Monica, what is it? Why are you crying, angel?" he asked, deeply worried and a bit scared.

"Oh Andrew... I failed an assignment... I'm... I'm a terrible angel..." she sobbed, and finally burst into tears.

"No! Please, don't say that, angel..." he wasted no time in holding her tightly, "Please, be calm, Monica, I'm here now..."

Not even the movement of his fingers through her auburn hair and his loving and comforting embrace were able to stop her crying.

Holding her almost fiercely, he let her cry for some long minutes, and only then when her tears seemed to be subsiding, did he pull a few inches away from her. Andrew took Monica's hand and both walked up to a small stone; he sat down on the small rock and pulled her down into his lap, gathering her in his arms and rocking her as if she was a little girl.

"I'm here, Monica. I'm at your side, always," the blond angel spoke, kissing her temple repeatedly, "Please try to calm down and tell me what happened, whatever it is, I can help you, baby."

"You can't help me, Andrew... Nobody can..."

"Oh yes, there is Someone who can; you know that the Father is always taking care of you, don't you?" he replied, brushing away the tears that never stopped falling from her eyes, "And so am I..."

"I failed to accomplish His assignment..."

"Tell me what happened..." his face and sparkling green eyes were so full of love and reassurance that she managed to calm down.

"I was assigned to this girl... Lisa..."

"I'm listening..." he said, gently stroking her cheek.

"She... she was only 13 years old, Andrew! Only 13 years old!" Monica shook her head, still in shock with what had happened and Andrew watched her with compassionate eyes until she put her thoughts in order and went on talking. After a long minute, the Irish angel spoke again. "Lisa's family was very poor and, besides Lisa, there were other 6 children to feed. So, due to this, and to the bad influence of some of her... 'friends', she became a drug dealer."

"God..." Andrew's low voice could reveal how sorry he was to hear that.

"She started to sell drugs at school, to some other children and teenagers like her about 3 months ago. But last week, Lisa apparently lost 300 dollars she had to pay to the dealer who gave her the drugs to sell."

Monica sighed deeply, and sensing that she would come to the worst part of her narrative, Andrew reached out and squeezed, trying to transmit her some of his reassurance.

"The dealer was furious with her, Andrew. So furious that... that he threatened to kill her family. She was so desperate..." after a brief pause, Monica looked deep inside Andrew's green eyes, searching for comfort. "The police found her dead and concluded that she had killed herself."

"Monica... I'm so sorry..." he started to say, but she interrupted him.

"But she didn't..."

"What do you mean?"

"Lisa didn't kill herself voluntarily, Andrew! She was forced to kill herself by the dealer, otherwise he would kill her family on the following day!"

Andrew was lost for words with what she had told him; there was nothing he could say to make her feel better, and Monica's conclusion caused his heart to clench with sorrow.

"... And I couldn't stop her from doing that! I told her that it wasn't the solution, I revealed myself as an angel to her, but... but I failed... I failed Andrew!"

Her sobs and crying stopped her from going on and the blond angel held her close to him, making her rest her head over his shoulder. Inwardly, he wanted so badly to take that pain away from her heart that he couldn't think of anything else; finding the right words to confront her after such a tragic story was almost impossible, as he himself was moved to tears to hear about what had occurred.

No matter how long Andrew had been an angel of death, no matter how many tragedies he had witnessed, his angelic heart was always deeply moved and filled with sadness whenever he had to face such a hard assignment. Due to this, he felt twice worried about Monica, as he knew, maybe better than anyone else in the entire universe, how sensitive the little Irish angel was, and, therefore, how much she had been affected by that tragedy.

After thinking so much about that and praying for some guidance, Andrew slowly nodded his head, hearing wise words whispered to his angelic heart. In his glowing form, he gently pulled away, just enough to look at her face.

"Remember that once, I felt lost and with my heart filled with sorrow, and you were the angel that God sent to me to lift me up? He asked, placing his palm over her cheek and watching as she weakly nodded her head, with tears rolling down her face "... and, if I can remember well, you did this many other times since we've met..."

"But this is different, Andrew..."

"Shh..." he pressed a finger against her lips, "... you'll come with me, we're in angelic form because there are some places I want you to go and some things you should know..."

"I don't think I could go somewhere now..."

"Please, do it for me, Monica. Let me be your angel now, for I know it was the Father who sent me here today..."

He pulled her to her feet and held her hands, kissing each of them.

"I know you can feel the sadness in my soul... I'm sorry for that..." she spoke, with some guilt. But he shook his head, "I can feel how sad you are, angel, but don't you ever apologise for that, not to me. We were meant to be together through the good and bad times and as much as I hate seeing you like this, I'll always be here to wipe away your tears or to cry with you if I have to..." Then, Andrew bent his head and placed a tiny, tender kiss on her lips, "I'll heal your soul angel. Come with me."

Still in their angelic form, they reappeared on Earth, in a quiet neighbourhood where some children played in the street. Hand in hand, they came closer and watched them for a few moments. "Do you know who these children are?"

"No..."

"Lisa's brothers and sister..." Watching as another tear made its way down her cheek, he wiped it away and continued to speak, "All the family was hidden in a very small apartment, afraid of the dealers who were threatening them. But the police found out about Lisa's 'suicide', Monica."

The Irish angel looked at him in shock, "I... I didn't know..."

"It was yesterday. The dealers who had been threatening he family were arrested, in a secret operation, and Lisa's strange death was what led the agents to get to those criminals. Her brothers and sisters, as well as her parents, could come back to their house and are free to go out in the street and carry on with a normal life, with no fear."

He made a brief pause so that Monica could observe how happy the little children, aged between 3 and 11 years old, were playing with their friends. One of the girls, the youngest one, looked at them and smiled.

"She saw us..."

"Yes. Sometimes children, especially the very young ones, can see us even if we are in our angelic form..." he answered, and then he continued to talk, "...and there's more, Monica. The police not only found out the threat against this family; they also discovered the dealer's organisation at the school where she studied."

"Oh God..."

"Lisa's death was a tragedy, angel, that is a fact that unfortunately cannot be changed. But you know how the Father has the power to transform the saddest things into something good. This family here is safe now and I'm sure God will help these parents to find courage to overcome their loss. And at the school where she studied, teachers and students are organising a memorial for all those children and teenagers who died because of drugs. Not to mention that now, the organisation is over and think about how many other children are safe from these men..."

"Yes... you're right..." Monica nodded, more tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

At that moment, Lisa's youngest sister, who had been observing the angels talking, stood up and smiling, walked towards them, somewhat attracted by their glow. "Hi..." she greeted, with a friendly tone in her voice and no fear at all.

Andrew and Monica knelt in front of her and now the Irish angel had a tearful smile upon her face. "Hullo, sweetheart..."

"Are you angels?"

"Yes, sweetie. I'm Andrew and this is Monica."

"So... can you say hi to my sister Lisa?"

Andrew felt a knot in the pit of his stomach with that request, as he could see more tears rolling down his beloved friend's face.

"Oh yes, dear... We'll do that, I promise..." Monica replied, fighting to control her emotions.

"Thanks. Tell her we're fine and that we love her too?"

Andrew stroked her cheek tenderly, "We'll tall her honey."

"Thank you... Bye Monica; bye Andrew..."

"Bye dear."

They watched her going back to the other groups of children she was playing with and heard her other siblings and little friends asking curious questions.

"Who were you talking to?"

"To the angels!"

"There was nobody there!"

Andrew stood up and took Monica's hand. "Now there's another place I want to take you, angel. You have an extra assignment to fulfil..."

Andrew walked slowly along the vast green field with his hands in his pockets and a pleased smile on his face. The blond angel was at the same place he had met a crying Monica some hours before and the soft breeze kept on blowing and spreading the flower perfume in the air. Suddenly, he spotted the little Irish angel coming towards him – the wind dishevelled her auburn locks and her image, with a long white sleeveless dress, left no doubts it was a heavenly being walking along the meadow.

But now she wasn't crying anymore; much on the contrary: there was a slight smile forming on the corner of her lips, and her bright brown eyes were shining with emotion. A few steps later, she and Andrew met again and he immediately held her hands in his own. "So?"

"She's in peace now, Andrew... And happy to know that many children are and will be safe from now on."

Nodding, he smiled and gently stroked her cheek, "And how are you?"

She leaned on his touch and covered his hand with hers, "My soul has been healed... And it's because of an angel sent to me by the Father when I needed the most."

"Angel... do you have any idea of how happy I am to see this beautiful smile back to your face?"

"Yes... I guess I do. After all, it was you who put it right here..."

After contemplating her meek features with his own green eyes shining with happiness and pure love, he bent his head. Slowly, their faces inched closer and they closed their eyes almost unconsciously, until their lips met in a sweet, tender kiss. Monica felt him wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him, while he kept his other hand permanently stroking her cheek. The Irish angel, for herself, encircled her arms around his neck and the wind blew some strands of her hair against his face. Once again, the angels felt like frozen in time, aware of nothing but that loving kiss, which symbolised the great love and affection they felt for each other.

Only a minute later did they part, so that the blond angel could lay kisses on her forehead, nose and once again, on her lips.

"I love you so much..." Monica said, resting her forehead against his chin.

"I love you too, my precious angel..." he whispered back, kissing her temple. She held him tightly with tears of happiness and emotion rolling down her cheeks. Andrew tightened his embrace around her small form as much a s he could, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet perfume and kissing her soft skin on her shoulder.

"Thank you..." the Irish angel whispered, with a tearful but grateful smile.

He pulled away enough to look into her brown eyes and caress her cheek, "No... Thank you for trusting in me... For letting me be the one to restore your soul..."

Monica gently placed the palm of her hand against his cheek, "And I am so honoured that the Father sent you to be my angel."

Andrew's smile grew wider, "Yes. He did. But it was not today... He sent me to be yours some years ago and since then, I thank Him for that every single day of my existence."

Also smiling broadly, she nodded. "I can say exactly the same..."

Their lips met once again and they shared another tender kiss; so full of love that two souls seemed like one – their love and their spirit becoming part of that beautiful scenario and, therefore, part of the Father's creation.

To be continued.


	9. An Easter afternoon

Angel of mine series Episode 9: An Easter afternoon 

_iHi everybody! Here goes a very tiny little story for you; something fluffy, just for fun, and especially my way to wish ya all a very happy Easter/i _

It was a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon and, due to the low temperature, there were very few people in the streets. Families had decided to celebrate Easter inside their homes, with their relatives comfortably gathered in front of warm fireplaces in the living room. Nevertheless, two very young children, aged 5 and 7, were walking along the deserted streets hand in hand and the oldest one, a boy, had a worried expression on his face.

"Maggie I guess this is not the right way..."

"But, Brian, I saw when the car with the bunny turned on this street..." the girl replied.

"Are you sure this was the right street?"

"Well... It was too fast... Do you think we should come back home?"

He looked around really confused, "Hum... I don't know... maybe we should look for the eggs a bit more..."

"Yes, I guess we're close now... I'm sure the car went this way!" she insisted. The little boy sighed and nodded his head, "Ok, come with me!"

They walked for about one block and arrived at a deserted small square, "We've been here before..." he said, with disappointment.

After reflecting about their situation, the girl had an idea. "Oh Brian, what if the bunny hid the eggs in this square!"

Those words gave the boy some hope, "Hum... Do you think this is possible?"

Before the little girl could reply, the 2 siblings heard a man's voice right behind him, "I think it's perfectly possible!"

A bit scared, they turned around and saw a tall, blond man, wearing a black leather jacket, a green sweater and dark blue jeans. But his friendly smile and the kind expression on his face immediately put their hearts at ease.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Andrew."

"Did you see the rabbit, Andrew?" the little girl asked, with curiosity.

He knelt right in front of her. "Well... not exactly. But I have a feeling that those chocolate eggs must be somewhere in that square..."

"Really?"

"Why don't you go look for them?"

They turned around to face the square, still reflecting whether they should go there or not. But when they turned around to face that stranger again, he had vanished.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know, but you heard him; let's go look for the eggs!"

It took them less than 10 minutes to find a beautiful chocolate egg wrapped in a shining paper.

"Yay! I knew we'd find it!" the little girl celebrated.

"Yes! And this is a big one! Do you think there's more?"

Suddenly, another voice, with an Irish accent, interrupted their conversation, "I'm sure there are more like this one hidden somewhere on the other side of the street..."

They turned around to face a beautiful lady, with long auburn hair and wearing a pink turtle neck sweater and blue jeans. And, like the man who had spoken to them before, she had a warm smile on her meek face.

"Where is Andrew?" the little boy asked, as confused as his sister.

"Well, Andrew had to go, but he asked me if I could help ya to find the eggs you've been looking for."

"So you're his girlfriend?" the girl asked, neither she or her brother were afraid of the little angel before them.

"Hum... well... I guess... I can say that I love him very much... My name is Monica." She replied, lightly blushed with that question, and not really knowing how to answer to that.

"Oh, so c'mon, Maggie, let's go that way as Monica says."

"Would you like me to help ya to cross the street?"

"Yes, please."

Monica took their tiny hands and the trio crossed the large streets. Then, she turned to them, pointing straight ahead, "Andrew told me that there's a garden not far from here, where you'll probably find more eggs..."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes, Andrew never lies!"

Brother and sister walked for a block and saw a small garden not too far ahead. Brian and Maggie turned around to confirm if they were really in the right place, but it was too late: the beautiful lady had disappeared.

"Where did she go?" the boy spoke, with surprise. His little sister smiled with an inch of mischief, "Meet Andrew... I'm sure she's his girlfriend! Now come, let's go find the eggs!"

10 minutes later, they found 3 little eggs hidden in between the plants.

"Great! Now we have 4 in the total, Maggie!"

"Wait until mommy sees it!"

At that moment, another voice interrupted their conversation once again, "Are you two planning to stop now? There's more of these not far from here..."

Surprised once again, they turned around and saw a dark skinned old lady, with grey hair and wearing a beige overcoat, black sweater and black pants.

"Really? How do you know?"

"Are you Andrew and Monica's friend too?" they asked.

"Oh yes, I am!"

"What's your name?" the chatty little girl asked, as curious as her brother.

"I'm Tess."

"And where did Monica and Andrew go?"

"Hum... well, they had some work to do..."

"You mean they have a date?"

Tess rolled her eyes with that question and with the girl's curiosity, "Well... kind of... But they asked me to tell you that, if you go straight this alley and turn left, you'll find a huge oak tree and, maybe, you can find 'something' under that tree!"

With excited little eyes, they held each other's hands and ran along the direction pointed by the oldest angel, who kept on watching them, shaking her head but at the same time smiling at their excitement. A couple of minutes later, they finally saw the tree and, under its huge canopy, a small basket with some more little chocolate eggs.

"Brian look!" the girl exclaimed, as if they had found a precious treasure.

"Wow... we have lots of eggs, Maggie!" The boy placed the other chocolate eggs inside the basket and they looked at each other.

"Now can we go home?" she pleaded. And it was then that his smile faded, "Home? I... I guess I don't know the way home..."

"You mean... we're lost?"

"I'm afraid so... I don't know which way to go... I knew we should've told mom we'd go out to look for the eggs! We shouldn't have left without telling her..."

They sat on the ground and some tears of fear and regret fell from their eyes some moments later, and not even the chocolate eggs they had found in their little journey could cheer them up.

"I want mommy, Brian... What if we never come to see her and daddy again?"

He inched closer and held his little sister, "I guess the police will take us to an orphanage..." he said, as afraid as she was. After a long pause, he spoke again, "Remember that mommy said that the most important in Easter weren't the eggs? Well, she was right cuz now we're in a big trouble because of them..."

"I'd give my eggs to see mommy and daddy again..." the girl cried. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice close to them.

"Maggie! Brian!"

They turned around and a wide smile appeared in their crying face, "Daddy!" they shouted, and rushed towards the man.

"Oh thank God!" he exclaimed, and held the two children tightly in his arms, "Where have you been? Everybody is desperate looking for you!"

"We went to look for the chocolate eggs... I'm sorry daddy..." the boy spoke; he and his little sister had a truly regretful expression on their faces.

"Oh you should never do that again!"

"But we found them daddy... But finding you is a lot better!"

They showed him the basket full of chocolate eggs and the man frowned. "Where did they come from?"

"We found them at the square, in the garden and right here; Andrew, Monica and Tess helped us, they showed us the right way!" Brian explained.

"I've been going around the neighbourhood with my car and I haven't seen anybody, the streets are desert..."

But Maggie insisted, ""But there was daddy! A man named Andrew said this big egg was in the square. He has a girlfriend, her name is Monica, and she helped us to cross the street and showed us the way to find those little eggs in the garden. And then there was this old lady, Tess, she must be Monica's mom... She said that these 3 eggs would be here, under the tree."

The man heard the girl's words with haunted eyes – he had passed by all those places and was sure that there was nobody in there at that time of the day.

Sometime later, they arrived at the children's house and their mother held them tightly, now crying with joy and emotion for having them back. "Oh God, thank you! Thank you so much!" she spoke, holding and kissing them.

From a certain distance, unseen to the human eye, Monica, Andrew and Tess were sitting in a nearby bench and watched as the family got together again, "Those wee ones had quite an adventure!" the Irish angel said, sitting between her two dearest friends and with a wide, happy smile upon her face.

"Oh yes, and now they're gonna think twice before risking themselves like this again!" Andrew agreed, tenderly running his fingers through her hair.

"And I can imagine how happy their mom is; for her it's like they were born again!"

"Besides, they should have listened to their mom: Easter is not about chocolate eggs and candies; there's a true meaning in it and they should keep it in mind from now on!" Tess added, with total disapproval at the children's behaviour. "Chocolate eggs! Why do human beings always see important celebrations such as Christmas and Easter as a machine to make money?"

Monica and Andrew exchanged a secret glance, smiling with amusement at the grouchy tone in her voice.

"Well... I guess you're perfectly right, Tess, I totally agree with you..." the blond angel said, "Of course there's a reason why we celebrate Easter and that's the first thing we should remember on this day when we wish happy Easter to our family and friends."

"I agree with Andrew... And as you are both my family and my friends, I wish you two a happy Easter..." she said, taking their hands in her own, and smiling at them with all the love in her heart evident in her eyes. Really touched with her gentle manners and loving nature, Andrew and Tess returned the smile and the blond angel kissed the back of Monica's hand, while she and Tess rested their heads together.

"Very well, angel girl! That's how we should see Easter!"

Andrew took a small bag that was right beside him. "Well, you know you're always right, Tess but... I bought something for you two; just a little gift, you know, to help me to wish you a happy Easter!" saying this he took two chocolate boxes from inside the bag, and gave the heart shaped one to Monica, whose smile grew wider with the excitement of a 5 year old. "Oh Andrew, it's lovely! Thank you! Thank you so much!" she spoke, and didn't waste another second in wrapping her arms around his neck and placing lots of tiny kisses on his cheeks and lips.

"You're always welcome, my angel!" he replied, with a content smile, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and brushing a tender kiss on her lips.

Tess was looking at the other chocolate box, which had a roundish format, with interested eyes and, not missing the expression on the supervisor's face, Andrew kept on speaking, "Well, this other one was for you, Tess... You know, I think that, yes, there's a true meaning of Easter and of course we should keep that in mind, but it doesn't stop us from presenting the ones that we love with a small gift if we can, just as an opportunity to say 'I love you' one more time... But, since you don't seem to..."

"That's exactly what I said! Small gifts are ok, since we keep in mind what we're celebrating!" the oldest angel interrupted him, eager to grab the other box. Hardly hiding their smile, Monica and Andrew exchanged another amused glance and the blond angel gave Tess her chocolate box.

"Happy Easter, Tess." He said, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you, angel boy! Happy Easter to you too!"

Monica opened her chocolate box and tasted a bonbon; her eyes grew wide in surprise as she felt a familiar flavour in its filling, "Andrew! It has coffee inside!"

"Well... I had a feeling you'd like it!" he winked at her.

"Like it? I love it!" she replied, savouring the bonbon.

"Really? Does it taste good?" he asked, with a hint of mischief. Also smiling mischievously, she cupped his chin to make him turn his head, "Oh yes..."

And she didn't waste another second in kissing his lips – the blond angel could immediately taste the flavour of chocolate and coffee in her mouth.

"Oh no! Please! Not here, we're in a public place!" Tess grumbled, with mock distress.

They pulled away and looking with happiness at her two dearest friends, Monica showed them another small bag, that had miraculously appeared on her lap, "I'm glad you both think that way, you know, cause I too have something for you..."

"Oh really?" Tess was, once again, looking at the bag with interested eyes.

"Yes..."

"Aren't we blessed to have such a loving and caring little angel girl at our side, Tess?" Andrew said, wrapping his arm around Monica's shoulder and brushing a gentle kiss on her temple.

"We sure are, angel boy! Now tell us, what is it that you have for us, baby?"

A bit shyly, Monica reached inside the bag and took two chocolate eggs. They were beautifully wrapped with coloured paper and lilac ribbons. "Well... in my free time, I've been doing some experiments, you know..."

"What kind of experiments, sweetie?" the blond angel wanted to know.

"Well... I've been learning how to make chocolate eggs!" she told them, as if that was a well kept secret.

"Oh... really?" Tess spoke, she and Andrew sharing a concerned look.

"Yes! And, after some attempts, I could finally make these two eggs; they're for you! Happy Easter, Andrew! Happy Easter, Tess!"

Lost for words with that loving gesture, and slightly worried about the taste of those chocolate eggs, they held the little angel tightly. "Thank you, sweetie. I love you." Andrew whispered in her ear, and kissed the tip of her nose and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

"Yes, that's very sweet of you, angel girl, but you didn't have to..." Tess interrupted her sentence when he met Andrew's warning eyes, "... I mean, but we're glad that you did cause we know how much love you put in these..."

"Well... yes, love among other things... it's me own recipe, ya know!" Monica completed, her Irish lilt filling their ears, glad to see how happy they were with that tiny surprise she had prepared.

"I can hardly wait to taste it..." the oldest angel spoke, and stood up from the bench, "Now we'd better go; I have a special presentation on the angel's choir today and I must not be late!"

Andrew kept with his arm around Monica's small shoulders, "We'll meet you in some minutes, Tess!" he said.

"Ok, but don't you dare being late!" she replied, and they watched as she disappeared some seconds later.

Then, Andrew turned to his beloved friend and, softly running his fingers on her hair and delivering featherlike kisses on her forehead and temple, he whispered in her ear. "I was wondering if I can have more of these coffee bonbons..."

Slightly blushed, and feeling butterflies in her stomach with his flirting, she smiled and glanced at him, carefully studying his handsome face, "Yes..." came her simple answer, and they inched their faces closer. Now that they were alone, their kiss was slower, yet always tender and full of love.

Only a long moment later did they part, and while Andrew kissed her delicate jaw, the Irish angel spoke again, "... in fact... these chocolates taste even better this way, you know..."

Marvelled with the beauty in her meek face, he gently stroked her cheek, "I couldn't agree more..."

The angels kissed once again, and, during that loving kiss, they started disappearing slowly, until the bench was completely empty, and a white dove cooed and crossed the sky.

To be continued


	10. A special place

Angel of mine series Episode 10: A special place 

"She's waking up, Tess..."

"Oh, thank You, Father!"

Andrew and Tess watched, with their hearts pounding loudly in their chests, as Monica stirred in bed and opened her eyes. They were in a hospital bedroom and there was an IV tube in the little angel's arm; besides a machine to register her heart beats.

"Monica? Angel?"

"Andrew... Tess..." she whispered, with weakness evident not only in her voice but also on her pale face.

"We're here, baby; we've been here for the last 10 days! Praying for you, angel girl!" the supervisor was quick to say, taking her free hand and struggling not to cry.

"... Where are we? What... what happened?"

"We're in a hospital, sweetie; you got hurt in an explosion while you were on assignment, in that school, remember?" Andrew answered, softly running his fingers through her hair, and, like Tess, making a great effort not to cry. And hearing that, Monica's eyes grew wider with panic, "Oh God! What about those children, what about..."

"Shh! Calm down, Monica! The kids are fine; they're all safe, like the rest of the people in there!"

"Really?" she looked at her two dearest friends with confused eyes, and they tried everything they could put her heart at ease.

"Yes, they're all fine, there were only some minor injuries but they're all at home right now, baby; only you got seriously hurt and doctors had to bring you here."

Monica looked at the IV tube in her arm and at placed her hand on her head, feeling some bandages on her temple.

"But they said you'll be fine now, that the worst is gone, angel." Andrew held her free hand in his own and kissed it. Only then she realised the sorrow and anguish in the angels' eyes – evidences of the hard days they both had spent by her side.

"Andrew... Tess... I'm sorry, I can imagine how worried you must've been..."

"No apologies, baby! You're healing now and that's what matters!" the supervisor said. Monica turned her eyes to Andrew and saw that, as much as he tried to hide it, his sadness and fear of losing her was so visible that they prevented him to talk. Quietly, he shot her a reassuring look and bent his head to brush a soft kiss on her forehead.

Some weeks later...

"You're finally ready, angel girl!" Tess spoke, finishing to comb Monica's long hair. They were in the hospital bedroom, but now the little Irish angel was fully recovered and had a happy smile upon her meek face.

"You know, Tess, when I first woke up here I was feeling sad an sorry that you were so worried because of me... But now I'm glad I stood here these days cause I've been talking to some other patients and I could help them! I guess the Father left me in this human form for a longer time so that I could do His work right here too!"

"Yes, He has always a greater plan in His mind, baby..." Tess finished her work and Monica, now wearing a beautiful flowered skirt, a white sleeveless T-shirt and comfortable sandals, carefully inspected her appearance. Then, she looked at the supervisor and grabbed her hand, "But I'm happy to be with you and Andrew again!"

"So let's get going cause that angel boy is going to have a nervous break down if he has to wait another minute!"

Giggling, they finally left the bedroom and met Andrew at the entrance hall. When he saw his beloved Monica now fully recovered and smiling at him, the blond angel opened his arms for her, with his heart swelling with love. She let go of Tess' hand and rushed towards him, wrapping her own arms around his neck a few seconds late, enjoying to feel his warm embrace around her body, lifting her off the floor.

"God... I feel so grateful you're back to us... to me, angel." Andrew whispered in her ear.

"Oh Andrew... Whatever happens to us, I'm sure that the Father will always keep us together..." she replied.

The blond angel placed her on the floor and pulled away just a few inches, so that he could look at her, and tenderly stroked her cheek. "I love you..."

"I love you too..." her eyes were shining with some tears of emotion. Andrew bent his head and placed a loving and tender kiss on her lips. That sweet caress was meant to say more than words; it was a reminder of how much they needed each other, how deeply they were connected, like no other angel had ever been.

Some moments later, Andrew placed soft kisses on her face and they rested their foreheads together. Tess, who had been standing by their side all the time, rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "Should I remind you that you're in human form and, therefore, in public, and that there are people watching?"

Smiling, they pulled away and looked at the supervisor, who couldn't hold her mock stern face any longer, and smiled too, "But I have to admit you're really cute together!"

Monica held their hands in her own and squeezed them, "I love you both so much, ya know?"

"Let's say we suspected that, right Tess?"

"Oh yes, we had a slight suspicion!"

They held the little Irish angel and tenderly stroked her cheek, "I'll be going now, baby, but I'm sure I'll leave you in good hands."

"What do you mean, Tess?"

"Well I mean that you were granted two days off and angel boy here has received a special assignment: to take a good care of you!"

Monica's mouth dropped open and she stared at her dearest friends in surprise, "What? Two days?"

"Yep! And from now on, you'll be under my responsibility!"

"Really?"

"Yes, so you'd better keep a good eye on our precious little angel girl here, you hear me, Mr Halo?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

The two angels kissed the supervisor goodbye and Andrew grabbed Monica's hand. "Well, it's you and me now, angel."

"And where are we going now, Andrew?"

"Close your eyes, sweetie..."

Burning with curiosity, she closed her sparkling brown eyes while Andrew held her both hands, kissed them and placed a tender kiss on her lips. A second later, she heard the blond angel speaking again, "Open you eyes now, angel."

Monica happily obliged him and when she looked around her, she felt her heart beating faster. Her eyes were immediately filled with tears of emotion and a broad smile appeared on her face, "Andrew..."

"When Tess told me you'd have some days off and asked me if I could keep an eye on you I started wondering what place in the world you'd like to go and... well, by the look on your pretty face, I guess I made the right choice!"

Monica covered her mouth with her trembling hand as she turned around and contemplated every little detail in her surroundings, "My beloved Ireland..."

From behind her, Andrew wrapped his arms around her shoulders and waist and kissed her cheek, "The last time we've been here together we were working on an assignment so it wasn't possible to take a walk around or enjoy ourselves. But now, I was hoping you could show me your favourite places!"

The little Irish angel turned around to face him, "... I love you so much..."

"Really?" he replied, touching her nose with his and happy to see a tiny smile on her lips.

"Thank you."

"You're more than welcome."

Their faces were just a few inches from each other and in a split second they were sharing another loving kiss.

Monica was sitting in a booth in a charming cafeteria downtown Ireland, looking content with her chin propped in her hand as she waited for Andrew.

On the table, there were 2 empty large cups of mocha and her eyes lit up when she saw the blond angel coming back to his seat next to her carrying a third one.

"Here you go... one more extra large cup of mocha for the lady with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

"Ah... thank you, Andrew!" she said, grinning first at him and after at the cup itself. Shaking his head with some disapproval, he watched as she grabbed the cup with both hands and removed the lid, taking the first sip a second later.

"And don't you forget: you must not tell Tess a word about this!" he said, sitting by her side and with a serious expression on his face, as if talking to a little girl.

Monica stopped drinking and faced him with a pleased smile, "Don't worry, I promise I won't... And... I love you!"

This time he couldn't help chuckling at the cute way she had said that and also at the cream moustache she had above her upper lip. Playfully, the blond angel narrowed his eyes and stared at her. "Hum... can I trust an angel with a mocha moustache and who has been drinking gallons of coffee in the last half hour?"

With a mischievous smile, she placed the cup on the table and, without warning, grabbed his face with both hands, pressing her lips against his. It took Andrew only a split second to adjust to that situation, wrapping his arm around her waist and tenderly stroking her cheek.

A few moments later, they pulled away and the Irish angel surveyed his face with a satisfied expression, "Hum... now you have a mocha moustache too and also tasted some coffee... And I still trust you with my very existence!"

With his heart practically melting with love for that little Irish angel in front of him, he shook his head and smiled, "Have you any idea how much I love you, angel?"

Purposefully, she looked at the 3 large cups of mocha on the table and then nodded, "Hum... Yes! I guess I have!"

Laughing even more, he brushed a tiny kiss on her lips and, once again, stroked her cheek with tenderness, "You know... I would drink gallons of coffee this way for the rest of eternity..."

"Well, that can be arranged... But first, let me finish my mocha!" she said, highly amused, and then continued to drink her favourite beverage, while her beloved Andrew kept on placing feather like kisses on her temple and gently stroking her hair.

"... what about that one?" Andrew asked, he and Monica were lying next to each other, on a green field and looking at the blue sky. A white towel had miraculously appeared on the green grass, where the angels were lying, and the two had been observing the clouds passing in the sky, trying to guess what they looked like. And needless that Andrew was having a lot of fun with Monica's confusing associations.

The Irish angel was resting her head on his upper arm and, after reflecting about his question for a few moments, she smiled, "A coffee pot!"

Andrew let out a loud laugh, which caused her to look at him with a questioning face, "What?"

"That's not a coffee pot!"

"Of course it is! Look at its roundish shape and the handle..."

The blond angel looked at her, committing to memory every feature of her meek face and secretly amused at her slight annoyance, "I guess I let you drink way too much coffee, angel!"

"And what is it then, huh?"

Andrew looked at the cloud again and then at her, "You wearing a pony tail!" he answered, laughing again at her pouting face. The blond angel pulled her closer to him and filled her face with lots of kisses and then she rested her head over his chest.

The monotonous movement of his fingers through her hair, along with the sound of his heart beat, made her close her eyes and let out a contented sigh. "It was a wonderful day!"

"Yes..." he agreed, now with a serious face: sad memories of some weeks earlier were back to his mind, "You know, when I first knew about the explosion at the school and that you were hurt I was angry Monica..."

The Irish angel raised her head to face him and was sad to see the sorrow in his eyes, "Oh Andrew... Please, don't remember this..."

"No, it's ok, angel." He gently stroked her cheek, "I was furious, to tell you the truth, but then... When I saw you lying on the bed, so badly hurt, all I could think of was asking the Father to heal you soon, because... I wouldn't bear staying away from you, angel"

"I can say exactly the same."

A slight smile appeared on his lips and he went on talking, "And when doctors told me you were getting better, when Tess and I were told you'd get better and heal little by little, I felt so grateful that I forgot about my hate and all I could feel was that my love for you grew even stronger."

With a broad smile on her face, she inched closer and caressed his cheek, "That's what I feel every minute; my love for you is constantly growing and..." she lowered her voice, as if she would tell him a secret, "...if you ask me, I don't think this will ever stop!"

Andrew drew her closer to him and kissed her lips once again; a long loving kiss, slow and sweet. Then, he traced a line on her jaw and contemplated her Gaelic features for a long minute, "Andrew?" she spoke, with a questioning face, but with the same loving smile.

"I was thinking, Monica... A love like ours... I guess it's never happened before..."

"Well, Tess told me she has never heard of it!" He placed some strands of her hair behind her ear and kept on looking at her with loving eyes. "You're a wee bit pensive today, aren't ya?" she spoke, always with a cheerful tone in her voice.

He returned her smile and touched her nose, "I'm sorry; there's a pretty angel right here in my arms and I just keep on forgetting about everything else... I guess I'm in love!"

Giggling at his loving words, she inched closer and placed some tiny kisses on his lips. Then, the Irish angel looked at the sky one more time, "The sun will set soon... Can I ask you something?"

"You know the answer for that.

"There's a place near here from where you can see the sun setting behind the mountain. Would you like to go there?"

"Of course I would, angel." He stood up and offered his hand to help her. Then, Monica pointed at his shoes, "You could take them off, ya know, walking around barefoot on the grass is good!"

"I'm not 'the angel of no shoes'!" he replied, in a teasing tone of voice. But now, instead of being annoyed, Monica smiled mischievously at him, "Very well then... It'll be more difficult for you to get there first!"

Saying this, she let go of his hand and started to run. "Hey! That's cheating!" he shouted, but all he got in reply were her excited giggles.

Chuckling at her childlike excitement, the blond angel ran after her, purposefully giving her a small advantage so that he could watch her laughing and enjoying herself. Only when he noticed they were coming closer to a ravine, did Andrew accelerated his steps and, a second later, Monica felt a pair of strong arms encircling her waist and let out a squeal.

Gently, and always carefully so that he wouldn't hurt her in anyway, the blond angel knocked her on the ground, "I beg your pardon?" he spoke, watching as she tried to catch her breath, "That's not fair!"

"Oh really?" he spoke, sitting in front of her and taking some strands of hair off her face.

"And I won! I arrived here first!"

"You're such a little cheating angel!"

"I am not! And now I have the right to claim my prize! I deserve another large cup of mocha!"

Frowning with mock disapproval, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, "You're kidding me, right?"

"No, I'm not. and you'd better start looking for another café, mister!" she grabbed his hand, "Now come, let's see the sunset!"

Hand in hand, the two angels walked over in that vast green field searching for the ravine that wasn't far from them. Andrew's heart felt lighter and warmed to see his beloved Monica so happy and with her human form completely restored. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her; including giving his own existence to see her safe, and, at that very moment, watching her safe and sound and being able to hold her and tell her how much he loved that little angel, was all that mattered to him.

To be continued

PS. There is a sequel to this scene ok? I'm writing it and posting it soon, I promise!


	11. A blessed love

Angel of mine series Episode 11: A blessed love 

Both angels sat at the edge of the ravine, with a breathtaking view right in front of them. Standing right beside Andrew, Monica rested her head on his shoulder, while he started to run his fingers though her hair, and the two watched in silence as the sky started to change its colour.

"It's so beautiful..."

"Yes, angel, it really is. It's times like these that I feel closer to God, even being here on Earth."

"Me too. It seems that the Father is listening to our prayers and sending His blessings..."

Andrew nodded his head with a serious, almost sad expression on his face. "I know He's listening... I just hope that, some day, he can send His blessing..."

The Irish angel turned her head to face him, immediately aware that there was something wrong. "Andrew? What is it? You've got sad suddenly..." she spoke, tenderly stroking his cheek. He sighed and looked deep inside her eyes, taking her hand and kissing her palm. "I love you so much, Monica..."

Those words caused a tiny smile to appear on her face, "You know I love you too, with all my heart and soul, don't you?"

An equally small smile played on his lips, "I do, angel. I can feel it right here..." he said, pointing to his heart. "... and this feeling we share is so precious to me; so special that, sometimes, I wish... that we had a way to symbolise this bond. Sometimes, I wish we had something that could represent our love; that could be my way to say how much I love you over and over again, through all the eternity..."

As Monica heard his words, tears started to form in the corner of her eyes and, for a moment, she lowered her head. Andrew was quick to cup her chin and lift it up again. "Angel?"

When the Irish angel spoke again, she was already crying. "Yes... I am an angel... but I'm not perfect, you know... I have faults too..."

"I... I don't understand..."

"What I mean is that one of my worst fault is to watch human beings falling in love, getting married and raising a family... and, for a split second, envy them..." She let out a small sob and held him tightly, burying her face in his chest. "And sometimes while I watch them... I just start picturing myself in their place... with you, Andrew."

The blond angel closed his eyes and tightened his hold on her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He too used to picture himself beside that little Irish angel, who he loved so much. He too longed for a day when the Father would bestow upon them one of the most important blessings two souls who loved each other could receive. And now, hearing her words, Andrew felt a surge of deep happiness to know that he and his beloved Monica shared the same dream.

Seconds later, she kept on talking, "I... I start to imagine what it would be like if we could receive a special blessing, such as being allowed to marry each other. Because, other than the Father Himself, there's one and only creature in the entire universe I'd like to belong to..." Monica pulled away and looked at his green eyes, "And that one is you, Andrew."

Lost for words, the blond angel lay the palm of his hand against her cheek, watching as she immediately leaned on his touch. "I'd never say this is a fault, angel... Much on the contrary: I'd call it a wonderful dream. And I have this dream too. There hasn't been a single day I don't think about it; there hasn't been a single day I don't pray for it to come true... To be able to say that, besides our creator, I belong to you..." He wiped away her tears and took her hands into both of his, "And I promise you I won't give up! I'll keep on praying that one day, you'll be mine!"

With a broad yet tearful smile, she looked deep inside his green eyes, "I'll keep on praying too. But I want you to know that I'm already yours, Andrew. This heart of mine belongs to you and it always will!"

"So does mine, angel."

Their lips collided seconds later, in a slow, long loving kiss that just corroborated the loving words spoken by the two heavenly beings in that secluded part of Earth.

When they parted, Monica was quick to kiss his cheek and wrap her arms around his neck in a warm embrace, while he too held her tightly in his strong arms, desperately needing to feel that sweet closeness between them; both angels lifting one more silent prayer for their wishes to come true.

A long minute later, Andrew pulled away and kissed her lips once again. "Let's go back now before it gets dark?"

"Oh yes, I love this place but I wouldn't like to walk around in the dark, ya know..." she replied, still sniffling. He helped her on her feet, "So it means there'll be no little angel running around huh?"

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a light squeeze, and the two angels returned to the same place where, one hour before, they had been observing the clouds. The sky was already getting dark when they arrived there and, to Monica's surprise, they didn't find only a pair of sandals and a white towel but, a big tent, with rollmats and pillows, a fire (that had already been previously lit up) and some food.

"Andrew, look!"

"I just hope it's your coffee inside that thermos flask." He replied, with a pleased expression. Standing on the tip of her toes, Monica placed a tiny kiss on his lips, "You and the Father are in this together, aren't you?"

"Well... He did ask me to take a good care of his angel girl, didn't he?"

X

After having a delicious dinner, prepared of course by Andrew, the two angels lay down by the fire to watch the sky, fully covered with sparkling stars.

"... The Andromeda Galaxy seems more visible than never..." Monica said, looking at the sky with marvelled brown eyes and snuggling close to Andrew.

"Yes... We've been blessed with great weather today, the sky is so clear." The blond angel spoke, softly running his fingers through her hair.

Monica turned to face him with a somewhat suspenseful and serious expression upon her meek face, "Andrew..."

"Yes, angel?" he replied, looking back at her.

"Remember when you taught me about the stars and the galaxies?"

Chuckling with some amusement, he placed some strands of her hair behind her ear, "And how in the world would I forget about one of the best moments we spent together, huh?"

Hearing that, her smile returned and, after he had placed a kiss on the top of her head, she kept on talking, "Well... When you told me that the Andromeda galaxy is formed by thousands of stars but, because it's so distant, they all look like one, I found it similar to us, ya know..."

"To us?"

"Yes... You and I are two different angels but I feel that our souls are so deeply connected that we seem like one..."

The cute way she had said that – as if she was revealing a big, well hidden secret, combined with her loving and sincere words, caused his heart to practically melt and the blond angel tightened his hold on her with emotion evident in his green eyes.

"Oh Monica... You're so precious, angel..." he said, kissing her forehead and tenderly stroking her cheek.

"I didn't tell you that then because at that time, I didn't know that... that I was in love with you..." watching as she was slightly blushed when she said that, Andrew chuckled even more amused, and inched his face closer to hers, "Well, in that case I have to tell you a little secret about that night..."

"What secret, Andrew?"

"While I was there, teaching you about the stars and the galaxies; watching as your eyes were shining with enthusiasm to learn all those things, suddenly I felt like telling you something..."

"Telling me what?"

"How much I loved you, angel..."

"Really?" her smile was such a happy one that it seemed it was the first time he had said those words. with his heart filled with tenderness, Andrew touched her nose with his finger, "Yes, Monica. It's been a long time I've been carrying this feeling for you inside my heart... As a matter of fact, although I didn't notice it at first, I started loving you since we first met..."

Somewhat ashamedly, she sighed lightly, "Even with me being so unkind to you?"

Laughing, he brushed a kiss on her forehead, "You know I find you quite cute when you get mad, don't you?"

Monica gently lay the palm of her hand on his face, so that he could bend his head a little, and then kissed his cheek. Soon afterward, his smile turned into a mischievous one. "And... I have another little secret to tell you..."

"Another one?"

"Yes... right now, I feel like doing something I didn't have courage to do at that night..."

"Doing what?" she asked, innocently.

"This..." their faces were only a few inches from each other and he just had move forward to press his lips against hers. Their kiss was sweet and slow, full of emotion and of the deepest and purest love in the whole universe. And, a long minute later, that long loving kiss turned into soft little ones.

"We had so many happy moments together in the past..." she said, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.

"Yes, that's true. And we'll have many more, angel, I promise!" he replied, lovingly brushing his thumb on her temple.

"I know we will..."

Andrew's gentle caresses and the fact that she felt so comfortable in his arms caused her eyelids to grow heavier and the little Irish angel couldn't help yawning.

"It looks like all that caffeine is finally losing its effect, huh?"

She smiled, slightly blushed, "It wasn't that much..."

"Three large cups and an entire thermos flask weren't much?"

Blushing with some embarrassment, she lowered her eyes for a second, "well, you drank a wee bit of it too..."

"Yes, half cup! And I was surprised with the fact that you actually offered me some!" Enjoying to hear her giggling, he added, "If Tess knows how much coffee I let you drink she'll kill me!"

"She won't! I won't let her..." Monica inched closer and kissed his cheek and his lips one more time.

"Hum... a protector?"

"Yes..." her eyes were almost closing, and, as she said that, the little Irish angel fell into a deep sleep, resting her head over his chest. Andrew watched her for some moments and the memories of the explosion nearly a month before, came back to his mind – he had been so desperate knowing that that warm hearted creature was badly hurt and suffering with pain.

The blond angel tightened his hold on her protectively, and kissed the top of her head. "Oh Father... I keep on asking things from You but I cannot forget to thank You for healing this angel who I love so much and to allow her to come back to my arms... I was so afraid to lose her and now I'm just so grateful for holding her tight in my arms again. Thank You for making it possible..." he whispered, and kissed the top of her head. It was true he wanted a special blessing upon the love they both felt for each other – which was holy too. But just being able to hold her again and to hear her laugher was already enough to fill his existence with joy. "She herself is a gift to me, Father. A very special gift; the most precious blessing you could ever give me and for which I'll be eternally grateful."

He finished his prayer and continued to stroke Monica's hair, unable to sleep and then miss one more second at her side. The night air was getting cold and the fire started to become extinct. Carefully, so that she wouldn't wake up, Andrew gathered the Irish angel in his arms and carried her to inside the tent. He was specially careful to place her head on a soft pillow and covered her small form with a warm quilt, and then, he lay down by her side and also grabbed himself another pillow. But, only a few moments later, Monica stirred and, without opening her eyes, muttered one single word, "Andrew..."

"I'm here, sweetie..." he whispered back, watching with his eyes full of love, as, little by little, she inched closer to him, until she had abandoned her pillow and found his chest, returning to the same position she was outside. With infinite tenderness, he accommodated his beloved angel in his arms and covered himself too. Then, he placed another loving kiss on her forehead, "Sleep well, my angel. I love you."

X

When Monica woke up on the following morning, Andrew wasn't in the tent any longer. The little Irish angel stretched out and changed into a long white sleeveless dress and never cared about putting her sandals on. She left the tent hoping to find her beloved Andrew preparing breakfast but there wasn't any sign of him nearby.

"Andrew?" she called, but there wasn't any reply. Frowning with concern, she looked around her and suddenly an idea crossed her mind.

Monica went to the ravine where she and Andrew had watched the sunset on the previous day, imagining that he was probably waiting to watch the sun rise, and it would be soon. Walking along those vast green fields with a gentle morning breeze disarraying some strands of her auburn hair, she was a real vision of an angel and it didn't take her too long to find her dearest friend, as he was kneeling on the same place they had been sitting on the day before, as she had predicted.

With a meek smile upon her face, the Irish angel knelt right behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her cheek against his. "Good morning!" she greeted, brushing a gentle kiss on his face. Returning her smile, he took one of her hands and kissed it and then motioned her to sit opposite to him. "Good morning, angel. These are for you." he said, giving her a small bunch of delicate flowers. Monica took them in her hands and smelled their sweet perfume, "Oh... they're lovely! Thank you!"

"You're more than welcome." He replied, kissing her cheek. It was then that Monica noticed there were some tears in the corner of his eyes and her smile vanished immediately, being replaced by a worried gaze, "Andrew? have you been crying? What happened? Were you called away on an assignment? Are you going now?"

The blond angel couldn't help chuckling at the sequence of questions and quickly put her heart at ease, "Angel, angel, calm down; you have nothing to worry about! These... are happy tears..."

"What? But... why?"

"Come here, let me hold you for a moment..."

She immediately threw herself in his arms and held him tightly, wondering about the reason why he was crying. The blond angel for himself buried his face on her shoulder, intoxicated with her sweet perfume and only a minute later, feeling the concern that was still lingering in Monica's heart, did he pull away. He grabbed her face in both hands and placed a tiny but tender kiss on her lips and then took her hands.

"Andrew, what is it? Did something happen? Have you been called away on an assignment? You can tell me, please..."

"No, angel. I'll stay here with you until the end of the day as planned."

"So..."

"I'm happy because today, when I woke up, I came here to watch the sunrise and say a prayer thanking the Father for one more day at your side." Watching as she started to relax, he kept on talking, "It's been a long time I wanted to make you a question and... when I got here, something happened... Something that showed now it's finally the right time for this question to be made..."

"What question, Andrew?"

He squeezed her hands and looked deep inside her brown eyes, "Monica... angel... Yesterday you said that you dreamed about the day we would be together, joined for the rest of eternity with the Father's special blessing..."

"Yes, and I promised you that I'd pray for this day to come; I know that the Father is listening to us, and I trust that He'll answer to our prayers someday if this is really the right thing... and I'm sure it is..."

The blond angel let go of one of her hands and stroked her cheek with tenderness. "I love you so much..."

"I love you too, Andrew..." she replied, still confused. Then, the blond angel reached inside the pocket of his jeans for a small velvet box and showed it to her. "What is it?"

"A present... and a blessing..." he answered, watching with nervousness as she stared at him in shock and surprise, "Please, open it..."

The Irish angel opened the box and found a beautiful ring, with a sapphire sparkling with the sun that was rising from behind the mountains. "Andrew..." her voice came out almost as a whisper and tears quickly filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks a second later. With her heart pounding loudly in her chest, she looked into in Andrew's green eyes searching for the answer to the question she didn't even dare to voice.

And, aware of the turmoil of thoughts in her mind, he spoke again. "This small gift was here when I arrived and I've heard His loving words whispering to my heart and answering to my prayers..."

Sobbing, she covered her mouth with her hand, shedding more tears, "Andrew... Andrew... is it really true?"

"Yes, angel, it's true... Listen to your heart... You'll hear the same words I've heard..."

She closed her eyes for a few moments and then nodded her head, with a tearful smile on her face, "Yes... I've heard them too..." turning her eyes to the sky, she spoke again with gratitude, "Thank You, Father... Thank you so much..."

Then, she looked at her beloved friend with so much love inside her heart that it brought even more tears of emotion to her eyes. Andrew wiped them away with gentle fingers, and then took her free hand in both of his kissing her palm with tenderness. "My heart is so full of love now, angel, that I feel the most blessed creature in the universe..."

"So do I..."

"Monica... Will you give me the honour to spend the rest of the eternity by your side? Would you let me be part of your existence and let me love you every single day... forever and ever?"

"Oh Andrew... I love you so much..." she reached out and lay her hand against his cheek, softly stroking his face, "You know that the answer to your question will always be 'yes'...There's nothing in this whole universe that could make me happier than spending the eternity at your side; than having the blessing of your love..."

"Then I can say my world is complete..." he said, looking into her sparkling brown eyes. Holding the beautiful sapphire ring and with infinite tenderness, the blond angel took her right hand and placed the ring they had both received from their loving Father in her finger. Then, he brought her hand to his lips. "I promise I'll make you happy every second of your existence, angel."

"That you don't have to promise, Andrew. You already make me happy..." she tilted her head to the side, eyeing him with all the affection in her heart reflected on her face, "... you always have. And, as I said before, I trust you with my very existence – it belongs to you now, other than the Father."

They inched their faces closer and their lips collided in a loving, affectionate kiss, full of emotion and with a pure, true and blessed love. Without breaking that sweet caress, treasuring the sweet flavour of her mouth, Andrew wrapped one arm around her waist and started to run his fingers through her auburn locks with his other hand, setting her firmly in his strong yet so gentle arms.

And feeling his soft and delicate caresses, Monica found herself in the safest place in the entire universe, in a place where she could feel only love and joy filling her heart and her soul. She lay one of her hands on Andrew's face, stroking it as softly as she always did, whereas she wrapped the other arm around his neck, wishing that that moment could last forever and, for a few seconds, wishing selfishly that the blond angel would never go away from her again.

Completely unaware of everything else around them and not wanting that sweet moment to end, the two heavenly beings continued to kiss each other, only parting for a few seconds, just enough to catch their breath – one of the very few perks of being in human form now.

Some minutes later, after filling her face with lots of kisses, Andrew cradled her in his arms once again, holding her tightly and resting his cheek on the top of her head, never tired of inhaling the sweet perfume that came from her hair. Listening to his heart beats, Monica looked at the ring in her right hand once again and let out a contented sigh. "I know we shouldn't get attached to objects but, considering that it was the Father Himself who gave us this ring and considering what it represents I can't stop looking at it... It's so beautiful, Andrew." she said, both angels facing the sun that had come out from behind the green mountains.

"Yes, it really is, angel." He replied, holding her hand and also admiring the piece of jewellery, "But you're way more beautiful!"

She looked up, grinning at him and he didn't miss the opportunity to lay another soft kiss on her lips.

"We have to tell Tess... I guess she'll be so happy for us."

"I'm sure she will..." he nodded, tenderly combing her hair with his hand, "And there's also one very important thing we have to do..."

"Set the wedding date!" she completed, with a broad smile upon her face, and tightened her hold on him.

Chuckling at the excitement with which she had said that, he nodded "Yes... Any suggestions?"

"Hum... I don't know... It has to be on a day that all our friends aren't working..."

"Well... I was thinking... What about... today?"

Giggling, she shook her head, "As much as I would love to celebrate it today, I don't think our friends will all be available, Andrew. Not even Tess knows about it!"

"Ok..." he said, rolling his eyes with mock impatience. Giggling even more, the Irish angel reached out and placed a kiss on his cheek, "What about in two weeks?"

"Nope; too long..."

"Andrew..." the tone in her voice wasn't upset, but a worried one, as she really wanted her friends – _their_ friends, to be there with them on that important occasion.

Amused, the blond angel kissed her forehead with tenderness. "I'm joking, angel. Whatever you decide is perfect for me... In fact, the most important is that it's perfect for you, Monica."

She kindly objected, shaking her head. "I want it to be perfect for the two of us, Andrew..."

"I have no doubt it will be, sweetie. I love you with all my heart, with all my soul. And, as Tess said, the Father never condemns true love; much on the contrary, He blesses it. Our love is a blessed one, Monica."

"Yes... it's a precious gift that I'll treasure for the rest of the eternity..."

They inched their faces closer and, once again, shared another sweet loving kiss, sealing the most beautiful feeling a living creature could have inside her heart: the purest and deepest love.

To be continued.


	12. Forever by your side

Ok, before I start this chapter I'd like to thank all of you for the so kind and encouraging replies to this series; believe me I take them all to my heart and it's thinking about them that I'm always trying to do the best I can so that you can have good moments reading this. Thank you all – so many names to thank but you're all right here on my mind. 

And... huh... this is NOT the end, ok? As I said before, I'll create as many episodes as my imagination allows – and just between you and me, I guess I'll never get tired of writing about these two absolutely adorable angelic couple!

Angel Of Mine Series Episode 12: Forever by your side 

It was a sunny spring afternoon and the flowers and trees were blooming with a thousand of different colours and perfumes, filling the eyes and the air in those deserted woods. It seemed that they were especially exuberant only to become part of the important celebration that would take place in just a few minutes in that secluded part of the Earth.

For the first time in the story of the universe, two angels, two heavenly beings, would be joined forever under the Creator's blessing and share the rest of eternity by each other's side. The beautiful and pure love they shared was so deep and intense, so full of devotion and affection that it had proved to be deserving of that special permission. Now, besides being angels and serving God, Monica and Andrew would also devote their existence to each other; either being in human form down on Earth or in their angelic one, up in Heaven – their Home.

Tess was finishing to arrange Monica's long auburn hair with lots of small white flowers, which added more beauty to the curls that the supervisor had previously made. Both angels were in a deserted clear in the woods and the younger one had been sitting on a fallen tree trunk for the last half hour while her supervisor helped her to get ready for the celebration.

In fact, she was like a mother to those two angels and there wasn't any other creature in the whole universe that could be happier than her on that special occasion. With a contented smile upon her face, Tess finally announced. "It's ready!"

"Oh really? And can I see it, Tess?" Monica asked, carefully touching her own hair, afraid of disarraying the supervisor's work.

"Yes, of course, baby. But before, we have to take care of another very important thing..."

"Another important thing? Is there something missing?" Monica asked, slightly worried and not wanting anything to go wrong in that afternoon.

"Of course there is, Miss Wings! The dress!"

In a blink of an eye, Monica's simple blue dress, which she had been wearing for a while, was suddenly replaced by a gorgeous lacy ivory gown and a crocheted head covering encrusted with pearls. It had a v – necked collar, leaving her collarbone exposed. Her hair was pulled away from her face in thick ringlets and she was also wearing ivory satin pumps.

"Oh! It's beautiful! I surpassed even myself this time!" Tess exclaimed, a little self assuredly, as she lay her eyes on the dress. And a big mirror had miraculously appeared next to Monica, allowing her to contemplate herself with her wedding gown. Not to spoil the surprise Tess had prepared her, the supervisor had hidden the dress and only now she could see the gorgeous outfit the oldest angel had so carefully and lovingly made her.

With tears threatening to fall from her eye at any moment, Monica covered her mouth with her hand and voiced a few words, full of emotion. "Oh Tess... it's beautiful... it's... so beautiful..."

Saying no more, she threw herself in the supervisor's arms, holding her tightly and shedding some tears of joy, "Thank you so much... I love you so much, Tess..."

Trying hard not to cry herself, the older angel held her back and smiled, "You don't have to thank me, angel girl. You know I love you too and making you this dress is nothing more than a little present from this ol' angel here..."

Sobbing, Monica pulled away with a grateful expression on her face, "Although Andrew and I are being joined under the Father's blessing... You will always be part of our existence, Tess... I don't ever want you away from me, from us. You're the mother God gave me... I'm such a blessed angel for having you!"

Now the supervisor couldn't help but crying too; deeply moved with those loving words. "Oh angel girl... my angel baby... you know I've always loved you like a daughter, don't you?"

"I do..." came her answer, in between sniffs.

"So... will you stop making me cry in such an important day like this? How am I supposed to make the ceremony with my eyes and my nose all red!" she stormed, not wanting to admit that she too was moved to tears with what the young angel had just said.

X

Not far from there, in a big clearing among green trees and wild flowers, all the angels that had worked with Monica and Andrew started to arrive and gathered around a small altar; all of them with happy smiles upon their faces. If the news about their marriage had first arrived as a surprise and maybe as a shock, it didn't take them too long to realise that the feeling shared by the couple of angels was sincere and pure. They loved each other, in all the ways a living creature could love another living creature, and if the Father Himself had bestowed them this blessing, allowing them to share a bond for the rest of the eternity, it was because this feeling was love in its purest form.

Some time later, Andrew arrived. Wearing a white suit and carrying an extra spark in his green eyes, he greeted his friends and went to stay by the altar, eager to see the little angel who had made his heart her home walking down the aisle – formed by thousands of white petals of different flowers. Adam saw the expectation in his friends eyes and patted his shoulder. "Ease there, buddy! I have a feeling that, although this is an angelic ceremony, Monica will keep the old human tradition of arriving late... And knowing that little angel, you know that there's a strong possibility that this happens!"

Those words caused the blond angel to chuckle with amusement and, therefore, made some of his tension go away.

"Yes... I had forgotten about this detail! Though it doesn't make me feel less nervous, Adam..."

"No wonder, you never did this before! No angel did, you're the first ones!"

"Now I understand how humans feel on this day. I had no idea it could feel like this... it's as if everything that happened in your whole existence was suddenly meant to lead you to this very moment..." the blond angel smiled at the sudden thought that had crossed his mind, "I feel like I was made for her, Adam... As if I was created not only to accomplish the Father's work but also to be by her side and love her every day of my existence..."

Also smiling, the other angel shook his head, "You're in love, Andrew!"

"In love? I guess that... there is no 'in love' with us, Adam. Being in love could mean something temporary, something that's not gonna last forever. I LOVE Monica. Every day I love her even more and I know that I'll spend the rest of my days by her side loving her. She is truly my soul mate."

"... and she was telling me exactly the same about you, angel boy, when I told her it was time to go..." Tess suddenly spoke, interrupting their conversation. The oldest angel was wearing a long white dress, like the other female angels in the place, and, with a happy smile, she took her position behind the altar. "Then I told her it's time to stop talking and add a little more action here, cause we have a wedding to celebrate!"

"Oh so you mean, it's time already?"

"Yes, Adam, and you angel boys gotta take your positions!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the angel of death said, disappearing from the place.

Andrew stood by the altar, waiting with anxiety for his little angel girl to appear. He had never felt so nervous and, at the same time, so happy in his whole existence. A few moments later, Monica finally emerged at the beginning of the flower carpet, with a beautiful smile upon her pretty face. The image of the little angel wearing that gorgeous white dress, with her auburn hair flowing from her shoulders, and holding a bouquet of delicate white flowers in her hands caused his heart to pound loudly in his chest.

And a similar sensation took over Monica's soul when she saw her beloved Andrew standing at the altar, wearing that white suit, which she always found so perfect for him; an image that sent pleasant butterflies to her stomach. The look in his eyes left no doubt that he loved her deeply and she could even feel that connection between them getting stronger every second. For a moment, she felt like running to him and throwing herself into his arms, but then, sighing deeply, she reigned herself in to walk along the aisle built up especially for that occasion.

Holding Adam's arm and barefoot, Monica stepped in the thousands of petals and walked along the way up to the altar slowly, and, a couple of minutes later, she had shortened the distance between her and her beloved Andrew. Adam handed her to the blond angel, who took her hand and kissed it tenderly, never averting his green eyes from her.

"You're gorgeous, angel," he said, in a low voice, with emotion in evident on his face, "I love you..."

"I love you too..." she replied, her voice also low and full of emotion.

Tess began the ceremony by asking Monica to lay her hands over Andrew's and then the oldest angel started to pronounce the holy words that would accomplish that ritual and establish a sacred and eternal bond between the two Heavenly creatures. Some time later, by Tess' command, Andrew took a gold wedding ring and placed it in Monica's finger, not missing the opportunity to kiss the back of her hand with tenderness; and shortly after, the Irish angel repeated the same action, placing the ring on his finger.

The supervisor finally said the words both had been waiting for a long time. "...with the Father's blessings, I pronounce you husband and wife, and so you shall remain for the rest of the eternity." With the other angels saying 'amen', Monica and Andrew looked at each other: there was a multitude of different feelings in their faces, evident in the spark of their eyes. Some of them were indescribable, others, too obvious to the ones who witnessed the whole ceremony, but one thing was for sure: love was definitely present in all of them.

The blond angel gave one step closer to his beautiful wife and gently lay both hands on each side of her face. There were some tears of joy falling rolling down her cheeks and Andrew was quick to wipe them away with gentle fingers. They were hypnotised by each other's gaze and it took them a split second to inch their faces closer and touch each other's lips – their first kiss as a husband and wife; the first of the many countless kisses they would share from that moment on. As they pulled away, under the applause of their angelic friends, he brushed a tiny kiss on Monica's forehead and whispered some loving words to her. "I'll love you forever, Monica..."

"I'll love you too, Andrew."

Then they had to pull away as the other angels made a queue to congratulate them and Tess, of course, was the first one to get a warm, tight embrace, first from Monica and after from Andrew.

"Thank you for everything, Tess. I love you..." the Irish angel said, trying not to cry again.

"I told you don't have to thank me, angel girl. Just be happy you two and you'll make me happy too! In fact, I guess this is the happiest day of my existence!" the supervisor replied, also making a huge effort not to cry. After Monica had kissed her cheek, it was Andrew's turn to hug her tightly. "I guess I have so much to thank you since you introduced us... Maybe Monica and I meeting each other was already part of God's plan, but I'm specially thankful it was you who put us together..."

"There isn't anything in my existence that makes me prouder, angel boy."

"Thanks for giving us your blessing." He said, and, like his beloved wife, kissed the oldest angel's face.

"You take care of my angel girl!"

"You can be sure I will!"

As their other angelic friends congratulated them, soft music filled the air – as Tess hadn't forgotten to invite the angel of music, and, when she took her position to sing along with that beautiful melody, Andrew held Monica's hand and, now happier than never, asked, "May I have this dance?"

"Always..." she replied, resting her head on his chest. Together, the couple of angels danced for some time, and, although they were on Earth, they both were under the impression to be dancing in the clouds due to so much happiness.

But down on earth, in human form, hours went by fast, and for the angels who had come to celebrate that memorable ceremony, was soon time to go back to their assignments. Besides, Monica and Andrew had been granted some days off down on earth as a husband and wife, and for them too it was time to go.

After they had thanked their friends, Tess took both their hands with a mysterious smile, "I didn't tell you this before, but I have a little assignment for you, babies..."

"An assignment?" the Irish angel said, with surprised and slightly worried eyes.

"An assignment? Today, Tess?" Andrew spoke, a bit upset.

"Yes, an assignment, and I've been ordered to take you to a certain place right now, so come with me and don't you complain!" the supervisor spoke, with a bossy tone in her voice. A second later, they were gone from the clearing in Ireland and reappeared in a beach.

Monica immediately recognised the place as soon as she saw a construction, not far from where they were. "The beach house!"

"Yes, that's correct, angel girl."

"The beach house? But... I don't understand, Tess, you said there was an assignment..."

"This is where you're going to start a new life, together. And I was told to bring you two here with one little assignment for both of you to fulfil: live with happiness, taking care of each other and with much love. What you two have is very, very special and precious and the Father and I want you to keep this feeling... this deep love you have inside these little hearts forever, because it's holy and perfect, as it comes from the Father Himself."

"Oh Tess..." crying once more, Monica held her dear friend tightly, "Thank you..."

"You can be sure we'll honour this grace that we've been conceded every day of our existence." the blond angel spoke, also hugging the supervisor tightly.

"I know you will..." she said, struggling not to cry, and stroking their faces. "I'll leave you two now. God bless you, angel babies. I'll see you in some weeks."

"Goodbye, Tess."

"See you, Tess." Monica and Andrew both said, and the oldest angel disappeared a second later.

Now, completely alone, as the beach house was the only construction in that secluded part of the Earth, both angels looked at each other and smiled; their love was such it could be seen in the sparkle of their eyes. Andrew took Monica's hands into his own and gave a step closer to her, kissing her forehead with tenderness. The foam of waves that crashed at some distance from them suddenly reached the spot where they were standing – just enough to tickle the Irish angel's bare feet.

"You know... although I've seen you barefoot before many times, you're specially adorable now..." he spoke, committing to memory every feature of her meek face.

"It must be the occasion..." she replied, tilting her head and eyeing him with her heart practically bursting with love.

He let go of one of her hands and lay it on her cheek, "I love you so much, angel. And you can be sure of what I told Tess just now... I'll honour that love promise every day of our existence, forever..."

Their lips met a second later, and they shared a long, loving kiss, full of love and devotion; leaving Andrew with the certainty that there couldn't be anything sweeter than that loving that beautiful, warm hearted creature.

A while later, when they finally pulled away, the little angel stroked his face with tenderness, admiring his handsome features. Smiling with tenderness, he offered her his hand and she gladly took it, also holding his gaze. After he had placed a kiss on her palm, the two angels left the beach towards the house, which was only a few steps away.

There, they stopped again before climbing the porch steps and looked at each other one more time, aware of the fact that, from that moment on, their existence would also be filled with the countless happy memories that only a human couple could experience – and which had been graciously granted them.

"Let me do the honours..." he spoke, enjoying her inquisitive gaze. Then, he lifted the Irish angel in his arms and carried her along the way up to the door, which had been left ajar. Happily, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and softly kissed his cheek while both finally entered the house.

Once they were inside, the blond angel carefully placed her on the floor and she looked around them – the place, which was already beautiful and cosy, had been carefully prepared for the two of them to spend their honeymoon. The wooden furniture and its rustic style, combined with the soft light, as now darkness was starting to fall over the Earth, gave the beach house a romantic and comfortable atmosphere.

"Tess thought about everything..." she said, her face softening at the supervisor's loving gesture. Dinner was served and Andrew took her hand to his lips, before motioning to sit at the table with him. "That'll be our first dinner as husband and wife..."

"Yes..." she tilted her head with a cheerful smile, "... and, as a matter of fact, I'm a wee bit hungry, ya know..."

Finding the expression on her face completely adorable, as if she was confessing a secret, he chuckled and nodded, "I guess being in human form can do that... But I'm glad that I still have some powers..."

"What do you mean, Andrew?" she wanted to know, eyeing him with curiosity. But, as much as he loved that cute face, he smiled mysteriously, "Well... you'll see..."

X

After a romantic candlelight dinner, Andrew put some soft music on the stereo on the shelf and seductively invited her to one more dance. They swayed slowly, enjoying the feeling of closeness between them. For some time, Monica rested her head on his strong chest, while he held her close to him. But as the music slowly died, they pulled away and looked at each other, their eyes sparkling with love, and once again he contemplated her meek features, committing to memory each and every detail of her beautiful face as he stroked her cheek. Monica returned his loving gaze, feeling as if there wasn't enough space inside her heart for the great love she felt for him, and longing to kiss him and to remain in his arms forever.

Turning his gaze from her eyes to her rosy lips, looking intently at them and yearning to kiss them as much as he could, Andrew bent his head and brushed his lips onto hers; delicately at first, as a confirmation of the immense love he felt for her. Feeling her arms wrapping around his neck again, as if pleading for his caresses, the blond angel placed one hand on the back of her head, his fingers entangling in her auburn hair, another hand on her waist, bringing her closer to him, and deepened the kiss, now pressing his lips more firmly onto hers, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth.

Monica felt a multitude of pleasant emotions taking control over her heart, filling her soul, suddenly reminding her of the first time they kissed, on that same beach, 6 months earlier. They had kissed many times since that, of course, but not with such passion, and it took her some seconds to adjust to that new situation.

Only when air became an issue for both of them, did they pull away, but that was just for a split second, as none of them could bear separation at that very moment. "I love you..." she heard him whisper in her ear, right before she silenced him by pressing hard lips over his own, and kissing him as deeper and just as lovingly as he had done before.

Some time later, Andrew's lips made a trail down her delicate jaw, then her neck and finally her shoulder, delighted with the taste and the perfume of her soft skin; and feeling the need to cover her entire body with kisses. Monica tilted her head to give him access at the same time that her small hands caressed his blond hair and his arms, marvelled with the strength of his muscles and aware that the same strength would protect her while they were on Earth for the rest of eternity.

His lips sought for hers one more time, in a deep, passionate kiss, which she welcomed with the same passion. The Irish angel felt as if she was falling down in his arms, unable to think; only feeling the surge of emotions that was taking over her soul – their soul. Without breaking the kiss, Andrew scooped her in his strong arms once again and carried her through the living room further up to their room.

The dim light that was coming from the fireplace lit the room creating a cosy, romantic atmosphere. The blond angel gently broke the kiss and lay her in bed, which was covered with delicate rose petals, making her rest her head against the soft pillows spread there. The little angel stroked his face with tenderness and with a loving smile. Then, she looked around her, loving their surroundings, and the fact that she was literally lying in a bed of roses caused the same smile to grow wider. "It's lovely... Now I know why you said you were glad to have some power..."

The blond angel lay down next to her, leaning on his elbow, tracing a line along her jaw with his finger and drinking the beautiful image right in front of him. "You're more beautiful than never, angel..." he said, in a low voice, aware of the trust evident in her eyes.

Lost in his gaze, marvelled at the deep love she could see written in there and aware of the same intense love she could feel inside her very soul, she shed some tears of joy. "I was created to serve God... but, in the last few years, I found out that I was also created to love you, Andrew; and I promise I'll live to make you happy."

"Angel... You're so precious to me that... I even feel undeserving right now..." he said, also with a shaky smile and some tears of emotion in the corner of his green eyes, "... I love you, Monica; more than yesterday, less than tomorrow, and for the rest of eternity."

She took his hand and placed it over her heart, "Every second spent with you, Andrew, is worth a life time..."

Saying no more, as now words wouldn't be enough to express the many awesome emotions that took control over their soul, Andrew leaned down to kiss Monica once more - pressing his lips against hers, in a slow and sweet kiss and this time no one of them was willing to pull apart until the end of the night. Both angels were lost in those amazing, wonderful and beautiful feelings, now, more than ever, under the impression that the world outside had stopped and the stars that were starting to appear in the sky became brighter only to allow them that treasured moment, which, due to the great and everlasting love they shared, would certainly be repeated innumerable times for the rest of eternity.

To be continued.


	13. Sweet days

Angel of Mine Series Episode 13: Sweet Days 

Monica stirred in her bed and slowly opened her brown eyes, catching a confused glance of her surroundings: the sun rays were already coming through the window and the beige curtains swayed a little as a gentle breeze blew inside the bedroom. And then a tiny smile appeared on her meek face when she remembered where she was and especially who was together with her. For one week, she had been spending the most wonderful days of her existence with her soul mate, her beloved Andrew. They had got married with the Father's blessing, as He knew how great and pure was the love that had brought the two heavenly beings together. After the beautiful ceremony held in the green fields of Ireland, the angels had been granted some weeks off and Tess, their eternal 'angel mother' had brought them to the beach house, in that secluded part of the Earth.

Since then, every day was a sweet one, filled with happy memories and infinite love. Andrew had been more caring than never – in fact, Monica felt as if her love for the blond angel was even greater than what she herself had imagined. The kind, gentle way he treated her, his sweet kisses and caresses, the lazy afternoons they would lay down in the hammock placed at the porch and stay in each other's arms, either in silence, contemplating their beautiful surroundings, or just chatting, would be in their memories forever. He didn't mind the topic. For him, listening to her endless observations about nature, human beings, angels, their feelings... knowing what she was feeling inside her heart was a blessing.

When Monica turned to her side, however, she didn't see the blond angel lying next to her. Instead, on his pillow, there was a red rose. Her smile grew wider as she saw the flower and, sitting on the bed, she took it in her hands, smelling its sweet perfume. She often woke up later than Andrew, it was true, and when that was much later, he would always leave a flower next to her.

A few moments later, somewhat sensing that his precious angel girl was awake, Andrew opened the bedroom door slowly, and carrying a tray with a delicious breakfast in his hands. His heart nearly melted with what he saw. Monica was sitting on their bed, leaning on the pillows and holding the flower he had left for her against her heart; the deep red petals contrasting with the pure white of her sleeveless night-gown. Her broad smile and the absolute love he could see written on her face went straight to his heart and he thought he had just fallen in love again.

"Hey... Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" he greeted her.

"Good morning, Andrew..." she spoke, tilting her head and eyeing him with an adorable mix of curiosity and amusement. "I wonder where you get these every time I wake up late!"

Chuckling at her sweet manners, and committing to memory her meek features, he stepped closer and placed a tiny kiss on her lips, "Well, I told you before, angel, I'm glad that, even in human form, angels still have some powers. Besides, I'd go and find you a flower even if I had no powers at all!"

"Well, then I'm glad you have them because I wouldn't like you looking for flowers to give me and away from me!"

Smiling, he sat down in front of her and took the rose from her hands, placing it inside a small vase on the nightstand. Then, he took her both hands and kissed each of them. "Then you don't need to worry cause while we're here, I won't move away from you, my sleepyhead angel girl!"

Blushing a little, she lowered her eyes for a brief moment, suddenly embarrassed for always waking up after him. But as she heard his voice again, she raised her head and looked deep inside his green eyes. "How did you sleep?"

"Well... very well in fact; I cannot lie!" she answered, as if confessing a big secret. And watching as he continued to smile, Monica frowned a little, "Do you think I might be getting lazy? You know, we've been in human form for a week and sometimes we can get affected..."

Now the blond angel couldn't help but laugh at her conclusions and at the slight worry he could see in her eyes, "That's not funny, Andrew! Don't you know that angels who stay in human form for long periods of time do get affected by human feelings?" the tone in her voice was a nearly upset one – which only made her look even more adorable to him, "You know Monica, you're unbelievable! You're the most hard working angel I know! You never give up, you're always doing your best, always eager to work..." he cupped her chin, "And honey, even if you were the laziest little angel in Heaven, I'd still love you!" he said, letting go of her hands and gently grabbing her face, and kissed her lips once again.

"Well... in that case I don't need to be so worried..." the Irish angel spoke, the cheerful smile back on her face.

"Ok, then. So now you can have your breakfast!"

Andrew kissed her cheek and moved to sit next to her, placing the tray with their food right in front of them.

"That's not fair, you know... You're always the one to cook! But today I'll prepare lunch!" the decisive tone in her voice and her words caused his smile to disappear for some seconds, and he had to make a lot of effort not to show his worry. "No... no, honey, you see... I kinda started to prepare it already... Besides, I like cooking, I really do. And it's even more special if it's for you..."

Gazing at him with tenderness, always amazed by how sweet he was with her, Monica lay her hand on his face and gently made him bend his head, filling his cheeks and lips with lots of tiny kisses (and to his relief not noticing his slight concern about her suggestion to cook).

"I love you!" the Irish angel spoke, with a cheerful smile and causing his heart to melt a second time.

"I love you too, angel..." after he kissed her lips again, he pointed at the tray, "Now will you eat your breakfast? I don't want any weak little angel around here!"

Loving his stern tone of voice, she let out a giggle and kissed his cheek. "Yes, sir!"

Monica let the foam of the waves tickle her feet and wet the brim of her long white dress, at the same time the wind disarrayed some strands of her hair. With a loving smile, she watched as Andrew walked over to her, holding a small object in his hands. On that afternoon, they had been walking along the beautiful deserted beach for some time and Monica decided to gather some seashells. So her beloved husband had the idea to catch some of these near the rocks, but as she could hurt her feet with the pieces of broken shells, he told her to wait for him there.

A second later, he was at her side, giving her a big seashell. "Oh that's beautiful, Andrew!" she exclaimed, enchanted with the well-shaped cone.

Glad to see how happy she was, he smiled, "They say that if you put it in your ear, no matter where you are, you can listen to the waves of the sea."

"Really?" she said, already placing it close to her ear and causing him to chuckle.

"Yes, but you actually have to wait until you're not on a beach, you know..."

The Irish angel looked at him with a cheerful smile upon her face and, standing on the tip of her toes, she placed a tender kiss on his lips, "Thank you!"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and shoulders, bringing her closer to him in a huge warm embrace. "You're more than welcome, angel!"

Andrew contemplated her meek features one more time and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and finally her lips, and both angels shared a slow loving kiss. He still kissed her cheeks and her temple before she rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and sighing with contentment in his strong arms.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" she said, after some silent minutes contemplating the deep blue ocean. A smile appeared on Andrew's face with that question, "Yes... lovely..." he answered, resting his cheek on the top of her head, without exactly looking at the ocean but gazing at an invisible point instead; lost in his own thoughts as he kept on caressing her hair.

Narrowing her brown eyes, the Irish angel raised her head and looked at him again, with a questioning expression on her face, wondering if he was talking about the scenario that surrounded them. He let out a chuckle and bent his head, kissing her lips one more time, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth while she melted in his embrace, enjoying his caresses and feeling a surge of happiness to think that she belonged to him.

"... one day I'll have the courage, I promise..." Monica spoke, comfortably resting the back of her head against Andrew's chest. Both angels had been sitting on a towel, on the beach, and there they had watched the sun set. The blond angel had lit a small fire close to them and wrapped his arms around Monica's shoulders. With infinite tenderness, he stroked her hair and kissed the side of her head, "I know you will, angel. Swimming can be a lot fun, you see..."

"Yes, it seems to be..." she said, watching as the flames danced in the air, illuminating that small spot on that deserted beach.

"And don't forget that I'll be with you all the time!"

Smiling, Monica turned her head to face him, "That's why I said I would do it someday!" After he kissed the tip of her nose, she continued to talk, "It's just that... the sea scares me a bit you know... It's so vast... Sometimes I feel that that huge mass of water will swallow me all of a sudden!"

Chuckling, he tightened the hold on her, "I would never let it swallow my angel girl!" then he tried to put on a serious face, somewhat understanding her concern, "But I admit that the sea can be dangerous sometimes. After all, there are waves and all... But we could try a lake, what do you think?"

"Hum... it's a smaller mass of water but... it still scares me a little, Andrew..."

"What if I'm there, holding your hand?"

"You promise?"

He kissed her cheek lovingly, "Of course I promise you, my angel. There are some lakes not far from here, formed with the water of the ocean. If you want to, we can go there before our honeymoon finishes..."

She frowned slightly at those last words, thinking how sad it would be when those wonderful days came to an end and Andrew didn't miss her worry, "hey, hey, I don't want anybody sad around here! We've been on the beach for only a week and according to Tess, we'll be here for two weeks! We still have plenty of time to enjoy it!"

The Irish angel sighed deeply, a bit calmer after hearing those words, "I know... But it'll be sad when it's over..."

"And who told you it'll be over?" he cupped her chin and made her turn her head, "Whenever you have a day off or some free time, you'll be right here, in my arms, i_Mrs_/i!" he emphasised the last little word and placed a tiny soft kiss on her lips.

A cheerful smile appeared on her face, making her previous worries vanish completely. "There's no other place I'd rather be!"

They inched their faces closer and shared a long, sweet and tender kiss, full of love. Even though they had kissed many times before, Monica couldn't help feeling pleasant butterflies in her stomach every time she felt Andrew's lips against hers and his arms holding her tightly.

Only long minutes later, did they part and Monica returned to the previous position against his chest. "It's in days like these that I think about the week..."

"The week?"

"Yes. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the week had 8 days?"

"And what would you do with the extra day, may I ask?" he was clearly amused with her somewhat confused reflections.

"Well, that would be a day for the ones who are on honeymoon, you know, so they could stay together a wee bit more! A kind of 'honeymoonday'..."

He let out a small laugh "Well, although I love the idea, don't you think you'd make a little mess with the humans' calendar?"

"Hum... Yes, I suppose so..." a sudden cold breeze reaches them and she flinched a little. Andrew placed a tiny kiss on her shoulder, "It's getting cold, we'd better go inside, angel."

He stood up and helped her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her shoulders; both walking towards the house. "Besides, we may not have an 8th day in our week, but we have a delicious dinner waiting for us, a cosy house, a warm fireplace, and, most importantly, honey... we have each other!" he spoke, kissing her cheek and making her giggle.

"Yes, you're right; I couldn't have been more blessed: I have you and it's not for some days; it's for the rest of eternity!"

Monica stopped walking and grabbed his face, making him bend his head so that she could lay some loving kisses on his lips.

"That's exactly what I was going to say!" he said, and, sharing one more kiss, they held each other and headed to the beach house, only a few steps away, with the certainty that those were the sweetest days of their existence.

To be continued


	14. Have I told you lately that I love you?

Angel of Mine Series Episode 14: Have I told you lately that I love you? 

When Andrew stirred in bed and slowly opened his green eyes, the first thing he saw was a pair of bright brown eyes staring at him. Monica was lying next to him with her chin propped on her hand and her hands resting upon his shoulder. On her face, there was a beautiful smile and the deepest and purest love. "Good morning, Mr angel of death!"

"Hey! What we have here? An early angel girl!" he said, smiling back at her and immediately wrapping his arms around her, drawing his beloved wife closer to him. "Good morning, angel..."

Monica reached up and stroked his disarrayed blond hair as he lay small soft kisses on her lips. "I dreamt about you..."

"Really? Was it a good dream?" she wanted to know.

"Not as good as waking up with you here by my side..." and then he looked at her, noticing that she was wearing a long flowered dress and not her night-gown, "Hum... talking about waking up... Is it my impression or you got up first than me?" there was a rather confused and curious look on his face which she didn't miss and which caused her to chuckle.

"Well, in fact, yes, I woke up about an hour ago..."

"Whoa! That early? May I ask you why?"

"Because today is the last day of our honeymoon and I wanted to see you waking up..." came the simple answer with her usual sweetness.

"Angel... I love you... Have I told you that lately?" the blond angel asked, tenderly stroking her hair and kissing the back of her hand. A pensive expression appeared on her face, along with the permanent smile that lingered there.

Amused, he raised his eyebrows questioningly, but before he could ask her what she was thinking, she spoke again, "Can we make a deal?"

"A deal? What deal, Monica?"

"Will you make me this question again at the end of the day?"

Chuckling and also intrigued, he looked at her face, "Why?"

"You'll see..."

"What's inside this pretty little head of yours, huh?"

"Andrew, please!"

"Okay!"

"Thank you!" she grabbed his face and placed lots of quick kisses on his lips.

"So... what do you want to do today?" he asked, as soon as she rested her head on his chest.

"I believe you owe me a swimming lesson..."

"Are you sure you want to do it, angel?"

"Yes! I want to try and you'll be there with me all the time, it won't be difficult..."

"Okay, my brave little angel girl! Your wish is my command!"

"Are you ready?" Andrew asked, holding Monica's hand and softly rubbing his thumb on its back. They were both standing at the bank of a lake, formed by the sea waters, and wearing their bathing suits. The Irish angel was looking at the small mass of water biting her lower lip with a worried expression on her face.

"How deep did you say it was, Andrew?"

"A bit above your waist, honey." He saw her indecision and gently stroked her cheek, "But if you don't want to do this, it's ok, we can go and take a walk on the beach instead."

"No... no, I can do it, Andrew. I know I can. But... would you hold my hand just in case?"

Smiling, he took her hand again and kissed her palm, "Of course, angel. I wouldn't let you go for anything in this world. Besides..." he then eyed her from head to toe, taking a good look at her one piece blue swimming suit, "...you look quite cute with this bathing suit and I don't think I could keep my eyes off of you anyway!"

Those words caused Monica to blush deeply and she lowered her eyes for a few seconds, with a shy smile on her face, which made her even more adorable to him. Smiling even more, he brushed a loving kiss on her cheek, "Let's go then?"

"Yes..."

Step by step, the two angels entered the water and if in the beginning Monica was apprehensive about it, by the time they had reached the middle of the lake, she seemed to relax a little.

"See? That wasn't that bad, was it?"

"No... Not bad so far..." she answered, grasping at his hand firmly.

"Now the first step is to get used to the water... Don't you want to get your hair wet?"

"Yes but..."

Before she could finish her sentence, he wrapped his arms around her small shoulders and still holding her hand, he said, "Close your eyes..."

"But Andrew..."

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, with a bit of amusement as he knew pretty well the answer for that question. Always smiling, Monica rolled her eyes and looked at him matter-of-factly, "Of course I do..."

"So close your eyes, angel, I'll lean you over the water but I won't let you 'sink', you'll be in my arms all the time."

Sighing deeply, she nodded her head and closed her eyes, leaning on his embrace. And, contemplating her beautiful and meek face, Andrew couldn't resist in brushing a loving kiss on her lips.

"Is this part of the lesson too?" she asked, smiling but without opening her eyes. Andrew kissed her lips once again and smiled too, "Let's say it's a bonus for very special students!"

"In that case, thank you!"

Her body's weight became even lighter as he held her in his strong arms and gently let her float on the calm and crystalline waters. "Angel, you should try to relax your body."

"It's a wee bit difficult, ya know..."

"I'm holding you, baby, don't be afraid."

"I know..."

He waited until she finally started to relax in his arms and then, without realising it at first, Monica started to float on the water.

"How does it feel, angel?"

"It seems that I'm flying..." she said, without opening her eyes but clearly enjoying the water now.

Some time later, she was lying above the water all by herself, without her husband's support, and had a broad smile upon her face.

"I got, Andrew! I can do it!"

"Yes, you got the first step, angel! See? I told you you would get it!"

"Yes, you were right! But I'll need more lessons... Every time we have some free time, we can do this, can't we?" she said, standing on her feet again and excited as a child.

Playfully, he pretended to be considering about that request, "Hum... I don't know... Only if you give me a kiss as a payment..."

"Hum... Alright, I think I can afford it, mister..." With a broad, beautiful smile on her face, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down for a loving kiss.

A bit later, the two angels decided to come back to the beach house, as the sun was getting hotter and it was lunchtime already. Hand in hand, they walked along the sand, with a gentle breeze on their faces.

"I'm so hungry, you know..." Monica said.

"Yeah, me too," he agreed, and then quickly added, "But I prepared lunch already, we just have to heat it..."

"You're such a good househusband!"

Chuckling at her wording, he looked at her, "A 'househusband'?"

"Yes... Well, to be more precise, you're an angelic househusband... But one day, I'll learn to cook as well as you do, you'll see. If I am able to face the water and even learn how to swim, I can learn to cook well too!"

Fortunately, she didn't notice the slight fear in his green eyes as she said that, and, trying to hide it, the blond angel let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him and kissing her cheek, "I'm sure you will, baby. You're wonderful!"

After lunch, the couple cuddled together in the comfortable hammock, placed in the garden of the beach house, under the shadow of some trees. A gentle breeze was blowing and the slow balance of the hammock lulled them to a pleasant sleep.

When they woke up, a few hours later, the sun was about to set behind the blue ocean. As the blond angel tenderly run his fingers along her auburn hair, Monica sighed with contentment and with a little sadness because those wonderful days were about to end.

"Andrew?"

"Yes?"

"When do we have to go?"

"By the morning, before the sun rises..." he said, also sad to remember that.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

She straightened her body and looked at him, "Can you get me a flower?"

Andrew looked at her with an intrigued face, "Well... yes..."

"I mean... could you go and get me a flower now?" she insisted, not missing his confused look.

"Now?"

"Yes... please?"

Of course there was nothing in the world he could deny her – especially on those sweet honeymoon days, and, without any other option, he nodded his head. "Okay then... I'll go and get you an early flower, angel..."

She reached up and kissed his cheek many times, "Thank you... And... I want a lilac this time..."

"A lilac?"

"Yes..."

"Well, you see angel, it'll take me more time to find a lilac..."

"Oh that's okay, I'll wait for you..."

He was really intrigued with that strange request and didn't want to stay away from his angel girl for a long time, but, watching his reluctance, she shot him a pleading look that made his heart practically melt, "Please, Andrew? Do it for me?"

"Baby, I do everything for you, you know that... And... okay I'll go catch your lilac but first... I need a kiss, Mrs..."

"Okay, as you wish, mister..."

It took Andrew almost 2 hours to find a lilac, and although he knew that Monica had something on her mind, he couldn't figure out what. She had said that she didn't want him away from her, not even to catch her flowers, and then, strangely, she had changed her mind. Shaking his head, he returned to the beach house with a bouquet of lilacs in his hands and, when he opened the front door, he didn't find the Irish angel in the living room.

"Monica? I'm home..."

As she didn't reply, he walked on further and finally reached the dining room. Then, his mouth dropped open with what he saw: the table was set and beautifully decorated with candles and some small flowers. Dinner was served and the food had a delicious smell.

And then Monica came from behind him with a broad smile upon his face to see his reaction, "I'm sorry I made you leave the house for a while, you know... but there wasn't any other way I could prepare my wee surprise for you..."

He turned around and a slight smile started to form on his lips, together with the increasing beat of his heart as he lay his eyes on her: Monica was wearing a beautiful sleeveless pearled silk dress, which went down up to her knees. Her hair was spread upon her shoulders in large auburn locks and small pearled earrings matching a pearled necklace completed her outfit, which even included beige leather sandals with low heels.

Overwhelmed with tenderness and deep love, he reached up and stroked her cheek, the vision of her so beautifully dressed and smiling causing his heart to skip a beat, as if he had fallen in love with her all over again.

"I... I can't believe you did this..."

"Well... remember that you said that you were glad to still have some powers, even being in human form? I can say exactly the same thing!" she replied, grinning at him, enjoying the look in his green eyes, "I have to confess something about the food though... I had a little help from the Father, you know? I still have a lot to learn about cooking and I want you to teach me... But not today... Today the surprise is for you."

"Angel... I wish I could tell you in words how much you mean to me..." he gave her the bouquet with flowers.

"They're lovely!"

"Not as lovely as you are..." he said, committing to memory every little trait of her beautiful image, and joked, "In fact, I'm the one who isn't dressed properly for the occasion..."

Holding the flowers with one arm, Monica wrapped her other arm around his waist and held him as tightly as she could, "I don't care how you're dressed... The most important is that you're here... And..." resting her head against his strong chest, she sighed deeply, with a permanent smile, "...I've always found that you look handsome anyway..."

Andrew stroked her hair tenderly, brushing tiny kisses on her forehead, and held her tightly in his strong arms. "Little angel... You're so precious to me... so precious..."

After the romantic candle light dinner, Monica excused herself for a minute. She returned carrying a CD with love songs and put it on the stereo in the living room. Then, she walked over to him and, looking deep inside his green eyes, she offered her hand, "May I have this dance, mister?"

Smiling broadly, Andrew stood up and took her hand, "I'd be happy to, Mrs..."

They walked over to the living room and the blond angel wrapped one arm around her small waist and took her hand, kissing her palm and then placing it against his heart. Monica put her other hand over his shoulder and they started to sway slowly, following the beautiful melody that filled the house.

"Andrew?" she spoke, long minutes later.

"Yes, angel?"

"How many seconds are there in a minute?" she caused him to be somewhat surprised (and really intrigued) with that question, "Hum... 60?"

"And how many minutes in an hour?" she asked, clearly amused with the puzzled look in his eyes.

"60 too..."

"So it makes 3600 seconds... And considering that a day has 24 hours, it makes... hum... 86400 seconds!"

"Monica, honey, you know I love you and that I usually understand your points of view and reflections about the world... But... maybe because you look so beautiful, I'm having a bit of trouble in doing it right now... What exactly do want to tell me?"

"How long have we been married, Andrew?"

Still intrigued and trying to decipher the mystery behind those apparently weird questions, he answered, "For 2 weeks... or 14 days, as you prefer..."

"So we would have to take all these little seconds and multiply them by 14 days..."

"And... why would we have to do that?"

"Can you ask me the same question you made me today, in the morning?"

"You mean... about how much I love you?"

"Yes..." she nodded enthusiastically, still giggling at the totally confused look in his eyes.

Also amused to see how much fun she seemed to be having, he nodded his head, "Okay... Have I told you lately that I love you, angel?"

"The answer is 'yes'... And we would have to make that little multiplication to find out how many times you told me that you love me, because you tell me that every second of my existence..."

Andrew's smile grew wider and he stroked her cheek with tenderness, "Angel, you're adorable..."

"And that's just because you asked me about 'lately'... if you want to know exactly how many times you said you love me we would have to multiply all those numbers by many years..."

He gently lay his hands on both sides of her head and placed lots of quick kisses on her lips, "You are the most precious and sweet little angel in this whole wide universe... I'm always amazed by how blessed I am to have you!"

Giggling, she looked deep inside his green eyes, her own eyes sparkling with love for him, "And this wee calculation would work the same way for me, ya know, cause every second I spend with you or think about you is as if I was saying 'I love you'..."

"I can feel it deep in my heart, angel..." He bent his head and kissed her lips sweetly and tenderly for a long minute. When they parted, it was just for a few inches, so that he could keep on gazing at her face, "But I have an idea... Why don't we leave the calculation thing for later?"

"Hum... I wasn't planning to doing it anyway!"

"Yes, that wouldn't be worth it, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because by the time we finished it, I'll have told you how much I love you about a million times more..." he looked at her eyes, "...starting by now..."

They kissed again, holding each other in a tight, loving embrace. Andrew entangled his fingers in Monica's auburn locks, caressing the back of her head, and pressed his lips firmly onto hers. The little Irish angel stroked his cheek, practically melting in his arms and with her heart filled with the most beautiful feeling in the world, which seemed to have stopped once again only to allow the two angels to share the pure and immense love they felt for each other.

To be continued


	15. Until we meet again

Angel Of Mine Series Episode 15: Until we meet again 

The first sunrays shone across the blue sky and anyone who happened to pass by that beautiful beach early in that morning would think it was deserted – but it wasn't. Hand in hand, two heavenly beings walked along the white sand and, despite the beautiful scenario around them, it was possible to notice a trace of sadness in their eyes.

In silence, they walked up to the very end of the shore, where they finally stopped, and turned to face each other. Andrew, then, held Monica's both hands and looked deep inside her sparkling brown eyes, not missing the sorrow that was lingering in them. The angels had been joined for the rest of eternity with the Father's blessing and, in their human forms, they had spent the two most wonderful weeks of their existence in that secluded part of the earth, sheltered in the beach house, sharing the immense love they felt for each other – the most precious gift the Father had given them.

But now those days were over and it was time to go back to their assignments around the world, to accomplish God's work by helping people and taking messages of faith and love to the ones in need. And, if on one side they were feeling sad because they were going to be apart for some time, on the other, the angels were happy to be messengers of their loving Father. Besides, they knew that that separation would last only a short time and, soon, they would be together again.

"Remember you promised that you wouldn't cry!" the blond angel said, with tenderness on his face despite the (mock) stern tone in his voice.

His beloved Monica gave a short smile and a small sigh, "I... I won't... Because I know that this is only temporary and that we'll see each other again soon..." she spoke, as an obedient little girl repeating a lesson that she had previously been taught.

He couldn't help but smile broadly, now releasing one of her hands to caress her cheek, committing to memory every little trait of her meek face. "That's my angel... my one and only angel..."

That sentence came together with a proud look in his green pools, which caused the Irish angel to also smile broadly at him, "Yes, I am... and I'll be for the rest of eternity..."

"Yes... and I thank God for that... Now let me hold you once more, angel, please..." it took her only a split second to throw herself in his arms, which were already wide open to her, and rest her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeats, "... I love you so much, Monica." he whispered, inhaling the sweet perfume of her hair and kissing the top of her head repeatedly.

"Your heart is telling me this right now, you know?" she sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a few moments.

"Hum... good; but I'll never get tired of telling you that myself..." she let out a small giggle and raised her head to look at him again, "Well, I'll never get tired of listening to it either..."

Andrew tugged some strands of hair behind her ear and kissed the tip of her nose, "We have a deal, then!"

They gazed at each other for a while, their silence speaking millions of loving words. Finally, Andrew pulled away and reached for something in the pocket of his jacket, "Since... since you've mentioned the 'heart subject', I... I have something for you..."

He placed a small blue velvet box in her hand and watched with his heart swelling with love as her face turned to a questioning and confused one, "Andrew... what's... what's this?"

"You're gonna have to open it, angel, I'm not gonna finish with this curiosity of yours!" he was clearly having fun with her surprised eyes. Monica carefully untied the red ribbon that was around the box and then finally opened it. Inside, she found a gold necklace with two tiny pendants: one was a small dove and the other, a heart.

"Oh, Andrew! Andrew, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, lost for words with such a delicate gift. "You shouldn't have to! I love it!"

"Let me put it on you, angel."

As she turned her back to him, he took the necklace in his hands and gently put her hair aside, so that he could place the jewel around her neck. Then, the blond angel fastened the clasp and made her turn around so that he could see it shining against her chest.

"You make it look so beautiful, Monica..."

She let out a small giggle, fighting hardly the tears that were threatening to fall at any minute, "You didn't have to... You gave me so much already..."

"Not even 1 per cent of everything I want to give you..." then, he reached out and took the small dove between his fingers, "This little dove is to remind you of God's love; that it's always with you. And this other one..." now he took the heart pendant, "... is to remind you of my love... to remind you that my heart is also with you, wherever you go, angel."

That statement was enough to ruin all his previous work in trying to convince her not to cry. Without any other choice, he held the sobbing angel in his arms once again and started to run his fingers through her auburn hair and to rub her back in an attempt to calm her. "... but I know that you don't need anything to remind you of these two special kinds of love..." Andrew spoke, kissing the side of her head.

"I love you so much..." she managed to speak, a few moments later, "... so much, Andrew, that my heart seems too small to keep such an immense feeling!"

"Well, now you have an extra one to help you!" he joked, happy to hear a small giggle in reply. Andrew pulled away just a few inches and started to wipe her tears with gentle fingers. "Shh... don't cry, my angel. As you said, we'll be together again soon."

She sniffled and sighed deeply, trying to control herself, "I know... And... I'll try not to cry anymore, I promise I'll try!"

Not really sure if she would manage to fulfil that promise, Andrew pulled her closer and brushed a loving kiss on her forehead, "I'm carrying you right here in my heart, angel. And whenever I feel sad or lonely, I'll remember your beautiful smile, your voice, this lovely accent you have... I'll remember the sweetness and innocence I can see in your eyes, how beautiful you are and all the love we share... And I want you to do the same, will you? Please, remember all the moments we had next to each other."

"Yes... I will..." she nodded her head, a slight smile reappearing on her face as he mentioned those things.

Happy to see that sudden change and really feeling that her own heart was lighter, the blond angel lay both hands on each side of her head and smiled, "Close your eyes, Monica..."

She studied each and every detail of his handsome face, giving special attention to his bright green eyes before obeying his request. Then, Andrew bent his head and gently pressed his lips against hers, in a slow tender kiss, full of deep love. Monica covered his hands with hers as he tenderly brushed her temple with his thumbs, never breaking that sweet kiss. Little by little, the blond angel's physical form started to fade, although the feeling of his loving kiss continued. Finally, his image disappeared completely and only a few seconds later did Monica open her eyes, realising that her beloved Andrew had finally left to some part of the world.

Sighing deeply, she placed her hand on her lips, as if trying to still feel his own lips; a small tear escaping from her soft brown eyes. Suddenly, she heard a dear, familiar voice right behind her.

"Baby?"

The Irish angel turned around and saw Tess smiling at her – Andrew wouldn't leave her all alone on that deserted place if he didn't know that the beloved supervisor would be there immediately after he had gone. And, truth to be told, Monica was happy to see the oldest angel, who she loved deeply as a real mother.

A smile appeared on her teary face and she rushed towards the supervisor, who had the arms wide open to her, "Oh, Tess! It's so good to see you again!"

"Come here, angel girl! Give me a hug, baby!" Tess spoke, both sharing a warm embrace. Then, the supervisor pulled away and placed her hand on Monica's face, "Let me look at you, angel girl! Oh no! Have you been crying?" she frowned with concern. The younger angel nodded her head still with a trace of sadness, "Well... yes... Andrew has just left, you know, and I don't know when I'll see him again..."

"Oh, baby, you will see him soon, I'm sure you will! How in the world would the Father keep you and your angel boy apart for a long time, huh?" Tess gently reassured her, and then smiled again, "And... Hum... Despite those tears I can see a certain light in your eyes and all over your face... Angel girl, I guess you're in love, baby!"

Unable to stay serious after that comment, a broad smile reappeared on Monica's face and she wrapped an arm around Tess' one. "I'm afraid you're right, you know?" she replied, as if confessing a secret. Happily chatting, the two started to walk towards the Cadillac, parked not far from there, and after they got into the vehicle, Tess started the motor and they left the deserted beach.

To be continued


	16. We love you, Tess!

Angel of mine series 

Episode 16: We love you, Tess!

Monica let out a deep sigh as she remembered the day on the beach when she and Andrew said goodbye for a while, the last day of their honeymoon, nearly 4 weeks before. Inside the cabin, looking through the kitchen window, the Irish angel was permanently holding the heart shaped pendant in her necklace and had a slight sad look upon her face. Although she loved being an angel and accomplishing God's work, she also missed her beloved Andrew badly and wondered when they would meet again.

And now, when she had been given a day off, it was the time when she missed him the most. So, to put those sad feelings aside, the Irish angel had decided to do a small party for Tess as it was her supervisor's anniversary. She had managed to invite some of their angelic friends – Adam, Sam, Emma, Gabriel, Philip and, of course, Tess' biggest fan, Ronald. But the saddest thing was that she hadn't managed to contact Andrew and it only made her feel even worse.

She let out another sigh but a sudden smell of smoke finally reached her nose and took her out of her reverie. With her eyes wide open, the little angel looked to the gas stove and she saw that there was something burning inside of it – the chocolate cake she had so carefully prepared for her dear friend. Quickly, Monica opened the stove and grabbed a bucket full of water to put out the small fire inside of it. The smoke and the smell of something burned now invaded the kitchen and, while trying to shove the smoke away, she could finally see that the cake was now completely ruined.

"Oh no!" she murmured, with deception all over her face, "It's totally burned... What am I gonna do now?"

A few tears escaped from her eyes and she started to cough due to the smoke that was still filling the kitchen. Due to this, Monica left the room and went to the living room, with a pensive and deeply worried expression on her face – what would she do now? Preparing and baking another big cake all over again wouldn't be easy, not for her, considering her culinary abilities. She wiped the tears from her eyes thinking that everything was ruined when suddenly something lying on the coffee table caused her heartbeats to accelerate: a rose had been left there. She covered her mouth with both hands and came closer to the table, taking the beautiful red flower.

Her eyes immediately started to scan the interior of cabin, searching for a certain blond angel whose presence Monica was already feeling. Following her intuition, she opened the front door and saw her beloved Andrew standing right in front of the porch steps, with his hands tugged in his pockets and a broad smile upon his handsome face – secretly, he was counting how much time it would take her to find him there and now the angel was pleased that it didn't take more than a few seconds.

"Andrew!" Monica quickly climbed down the steps and threw herself into his arms, which were wide open to her.

"Monica... Angel, it's so good to hold you again!" he said, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around, holding her as tightly as he could.

"I didn't know you were coming... I'm so happy that you're here, though! So happy, Andrew... I missed you so much!" she spoke, clutching his shirt. He placed some kisses on her shoulder and carefully placed her on the ground. Then, he pulled away just a few inches so that he could look at her pretty face. "I missed you too, angel... So much that I almost gave up the rose thing and entered there to hold you tight at the moment I got here!" he spoke, tenderly caressing her cheek and marvelled at the loving way she looked at him.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were coming?"

"Because I didn't know I was coming myself, you know... I got the day off just a few minutes ago and I was already thinking about finding you wherever you might be when I met Adam and he told me about the small testimonial for Tess that you were organising here at the cabin and then... I didn't waste another second." He placed a few strands of hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear and studied every little trait on her meek face, "Let me look at you... You're prettier than never, baby..."

Blushing a little, she looked inside his green pools with a few tears already threatening to fall from her eyes, "I couldn't find you anywhere to tell you about this testimonial... I thought you wouldn't come..."

"But the Father wouldn't keep us apart for a long time, you should know that!" his smile never disappeared from his face.

"Tess said the same thing... and I knew that too, to be honest. I guess I'm just a wee bit fool to believe that if we stay away from each other just a few days we'll never come to see each other again..."

"Well, that makes you the prettiest and most adorable fool in this whole wide universe..." with gentle fingers, he wiped away the few tears from her face and chuckled as she blushed even more. Then, his eyes moved from her own brown pools to her rosy lips and he remembered how much he missed kissing them. A second later, they were already sharing a loving and tender kiss and a warm embrace; Andrew stroked her brown hair and wrapped his other arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him; she repeated the same action and also started to caress the back of his head.

Only a long minute later did that sweet and romantic kiss turned into tiny ones – Andrew also kissed her cheeks, the tip of her nose and, once again, her lips. They held each other one more time and both let out a contented sigh and a silent prayer of thanks for being together after 4 long weeks.

"Oh, Monica... my Monica... my little angel... the one I will always love for the rest of the eternity." He whispered, kissing the top of her head repeatedly.

Resting her head against his chest, she smiled, "You're my Andrew too, you know?"

He chuckled and was going to say something else when suddenly a strong smell of smoke reached his nose. "Monica... is there something burning?" he asked, frowning with concern. The Irish angel pulled away and turned to face him again, now with a rather embarrassed and worried face, "Well... I... I was preparing a cake for Tess..."

"Y-you prepared the cake?" he had to make a lot of effort not to show how scared he was to hear that piece of news. "I... I thought that there would be someone to help you, that Emma or Ronald would..."

"Well, they're coming, eventually, but I insisted on making the cake... But... I had a little accident a few minutes ago, just before you arrived...

His eyes grew wider, "You had an accident? Are you hurt? Did you get burnt?" he said, immediately looking for a wound or burn in her soft skin, but she was quick to put his heart at ease, "No, no, I'm fine! But... The cake is totally burned and the kitchen is kind of... smoky right now..." some tears appeared in her eyes and her face was one of disappointment, "I don't know what to do now... Tess and the others will arrive and I don't have anything ready for them, I burnt the cake and there's no time to make another one..."

Sighing with some relief – at least she was fine, he nodded his head and took her hand to his lips, "Okay... calm down sweetie, let's go inside and see what we can do..."

"There's nothing else to do, Andrew, it's totally destroyed..." she replied, but her beloved Andrew placed his hands over her small shoulders and gently rubbed her arms, "There must be something we can do, angel. Remember we must never give up hope!"

His reassuring words managed to bring her some peace – of course she always believed things would be better, but if Andrew was the one to tell her so, then she felt even better. If there was an angel who really had a way with her heart, this angel was him.

Slowly, Monica nodded her head, "Okay..."

X

The two entered the cabin and, as they approached the kitchen, the smell of smoke got more evident, leading Andrew to dread to imagine what had happened there before he arrived and to fear for the little angel's physical integrity.

"This is the cake... well, at least what was left of it..." she pointed out, showing him the totally burnt cake that was now over the kitchen table. Andrew had, once again, to make a lot of effort not to show how amazed he was with the destruction scenery into which his sweet angel girl had managed to transform the kitchen. "I guess there must've been a little problem with the gas stove, Andrew... this wasn't supposed to happen..."

"Erm... yes... probably that's what happened, sweetie..." he spoke, and then, once again, surveyed her arms and her face, still looking for some bruise, "Are you sure you didn't get hurt?" his hands were again holding hers and his eyes travelled down her body, as he not all too convinced that she had escaped from that little disaster she had managed to cause.

"Yes, I'm not hurt, Andrew... But... I wonder how we'll fix this before the others arrive..."

"We will, Monica. And you will make your little testimonial! Let's get started right now!"

X

During the time they remained in the kitchen trying to reconstruct everything in it, Andrew tried to keep Monica busy by giving her small tasks, such as setting the table or arranging the living room – all of them far away from the cake he was baking. Of course she didn't notice that, much on the contrary, the little Irish angel was happy to help, as she felt rather guilty for what had happened.

Later, at night, Tess parked her car outside the cabin and got off, happy that she had been given some days off. She knew that Monica was waiting for her in the cabin and was only sorry that Andrew wouldn't be there, as the oldest angel loved to spend all her free time with her two "angel babies". The supervisor climbed the stairs of the cabin and opened the door and, when she stepped inside the house the most complete silence was broken by lots of voices that spoke, at the same time.

"Surprise!"

Tess covered her mouth with both hands and her eyes grew wide in amazement and surprise: Monica, Andrew, Adam, Ronald, Sam and many other angelic friends were there, smiling at her, in a living room decorated with many coloured balloons – Monica's idea.

"Oh dear Father! I can't believe you remembered that when I myself almost forgot it!" the oldest angel spoke, still not believing they had organised a party for her.

"But we would never forget your supervisor's anniversary! Congratulations, Tess!" The Irish angel was the first one to hug the supervisor.

"Oh angel girl! Thank you, thank you so much, baby..."

"You're welcome, Tess. It's just a wee thing to tell you once again that we love you..." she replied, and kissed the older angel's cheek.

"I love you too, baby!"

Andrew was the next to place a kiss on Tess' cheek and hold her tightly, "Congratulations, Tess! We love you a lot!"

"Angel boy... oh baby, I'm so happy to see you again! I'm so happy to see you two, my two angel babies, together again!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Monica's and Andrew's.

"And if we're together here today it's because of you, Tess!" Monica replied and then turned her eyes from the supervisor to her beloved Andrew.

"You see? I told you it wouldn't take so long for you two to meet again! You make the cutest angelic couple in all universe!"

Everybody laughed and, after the other angels congratulated Tess, Monica took the supervisor's hand and guided her to the dining room, "There is one more wee surprise for you, Tess!"

"Really? And what is it, angel girl?"

They entered the room and the oldest angel saw let her mouth drop open for the second time: there was a big cake on the table, beautifully decorated and where they could read: 'We love you, Tess!'

"I... I really don't know what to say other than thank you... thank you all!" there were some tears in the corner of her eyes and the supervisor was trying hard to hide them.

"Monica had the idea to make a little party, Tess," Ronald explained, "And she deserves all the credit, in fact. We did very little."

"Oh no, that's not true, Tess." The little angel gently objected, "Everybody here helped us – at the moment I told them there was a wee 'tessimonial' for you, they offered to help!"

" 'Tessimonial'?" Tess frowned to hear the new invented word as Monica kept on talking, "If it wasn't for them, the cabin wouldn't have been so beautifully decorated. Besides..." Andrew was standing right behind her, with his hands over her small shoulders, and she turned her head to shoot him a loving gaze. "...I had a technical problem with the cake and it was Andrew who made this one. He deserves all the credit!"

Smiling, the blond angel bent his head to place a kiss on her cheek while Tess' eyes grew wide for the third time on that night. "You wanted to make the cake!" she spoke, poorly managing to hide her worry to know that Monica had actually been cooking.

"Yes... but... well, I guess the stove had a little problem, you know. Fortunately, Andrew managed to fix it and made this beautiful cake for you!" she replied, unaware of the secret glance Tess, Andrew and Adam exchanged (as the 3 angels knew pretty well what were Monica's culinary abilities like).

X

During the rest of the night all the angels celebrated with their friends – some of them they hadn't seen for a long time, and everybody had a very happy time together. After the last angel had said goodbye, Monica and Andrew cleaned up the little mess that they had made and the two of them, together with Tess, sat down on the couch and spent some more pleasant time chatting with one another, talking about their latest assignments. But soon the oldest angel stood up and, feeling the effects of being in human form, announced she would go to bed.

"It was a great night but this old angel here is about to fall asleep at any moment! Have a good night, babies!" she said, kissing each of them.

"G'night Tess," Andrew placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

"Sleep well, Tess," Monica spoke, "We love you!"

The supervisor smiled with those loving gestures, "I love you both too, angel girl!"

Monica and Andrew watched as Tess climbed the stairs and then cuddled together in a loving embrace. "That was a wonderful party, I must say!"

"It sure was, angel. I'm not only glad that that we actually had this party; I'm also glad that it served to bring us all together!" he agreed.

The Irish angel sighed deeply, "Yes... You know, human beings say that happiness is an abstract feeling, but I disagree... It has faces and a beautiful sound!"

Smiling at her philosophical mood (one of the thousands things he loved about her), Andrew nodded and ran his fingers through her hair, "I couldn't agree more!"

Enjoying to hear that, she kept on talking, "And, although it's night already, I feel all sunny and happy, you know, Andrew?" she let out another happy sigh and caused her dear Andrew to chuckle.

"You know something, Monica? You've always been a sunny little angel!" he placed a tiny kiss on her temple. "That's why I'm always saying that you light up my life!"

Giggling, she raised her head and gave him a tender look, "Well, some people... I mean, some angels are responsible for that!"

The blond angel gazed deeply at her soft brown eyes and playfully raised his eyebrows, with a mock surprised face, "Oh really?"

"Really!"

"Hum... I wonder who these angels might be..."

With a solemn expression on her pretty face, Monica straightened her body on the sofa and looked at him, "Well, one of these is upstairs, peacefully sleeping. And the other one is downstairs, sitting on this couch and, although he doesn't know, he's about to receive lots of kisses in... 3 seconds!"

Saying no more, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled a smiling Andrew for a tight embrace, followed by lots of tiny kisses on his cheek and lips.

X

"I love you, angel... For the rest of eternity..." he spoke, a couple of minutes later, caressing her face and looking at her with tenderness and deep love.

Watching as his green pools sparkled with affection, she smiled, moved with the sincerity of his words, "I know... I can feel it right here in my heart... Maybe it's because we both together form only one heart..."

Silently nodding, the blond angel brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and another one on the tip of her nose, "I have no doubt about it..."

And then their lips finally met, in one more sweet and tender kiss. On that night the two angels fell asleep in each others arms and spent the next two days together enjoying the company of the other until the moment they received a message informing them they had a new assignment waiting for them.

But this time there wasn't any crying or sad goodbyes as, together with Tess (their angelic mother), they would be working together on that new mission, and on the ones that followed it.

To be continued


	17. And so this is Christmas

Angel of mine series Episode 17: And so this is Christmas 

Andrew had been waiting for Monica for about 20 minutes and, after glancing at his watch for the 3rd time, he returned it to his pocket and looked around him. Snow covered the park forming a beautiful white blanket that only the evergreen pine trees could break. There were children playing nearby and their excited giggles caused the blond angel to chuckle, leading him to contemplate the beautiful world God had created. And he was especially grateful for being allowed to share it with his beloved Monica and that would be the 1st Christmas they would spend together since they got married with the Father's blessings.

He sighed and a contented smile appeared on his face as he thought about the little Irish angel who had stolen his heart for the rest of eternity. That year, they had been granted a few days off and, along with Tess, the three angels would spend the holidays at the cabin – as soon as Monica arrived.

Suddenly, when he was about to check his watch again, Andrew was hit by a snowball right on his back. "Hey!" he exclaimed, with a shocked face, and turned around to see a giggling Monica not far from him, clearly amused and satisfied to see that she'd surprised him.

Now also amused (and secretly loving to hear her giggles), the blond angel crossed his arms in front of his chest and narrowed his eyes, with a mock threatening face. "Oh, so you think this is funny, right?"

"Sorry, Andrew, but yes!" she replied, and anyone could see the love and tenderness behind that mischievous expression on her face, "But you're a cute target, ya know?"

"A 'cute target'?" the shocked tone in his voice only made her laugh even more. "Very well..." he spoke, giving a few steps towards her, "... since you're a very happy and giggly little angel, I'm going to give you something more to laugh at!"

Monica's eyes grew wide when she saw her beloved Andrew coming towards her and, before he could reach her, the Irish angel started to run, in an attempt to escape from him.

Although he could have caught her easily, Andrew let her run for a few instants, taking the opportunity to enjoy her laugher and to see her happy broad smile all over her pretty face. But he didn't let his angel girl go too far: suddenly, Monica felt a pair of strong arms encircling her waist and finally tickling her sides. She melted into giggles and stumbled on the ground covered with snow.

"Oh, Andrew... That's... that's not fair!"

"Oh, no? What about making me an angelic target for you to practice snowball launching, huh?" he replied, never stopping tickling her and enjoying it when she fell right into his arms.

"I... I was... I was just kidding..."

"Well, so am I!"

Noticing how her cheeks had turned red and that tears were falling from her eyes, he finally stopped that sweet torture and pulled her to his lap, brushing a loving kiss on her cheek. "Do you have any idea of how adorable you are, angel?" he spoke, placing some strands of hair behind her ear and shooting her a loving glance.

"Oh, now you pay me compliments, huh?"

"Yes, though you don't need them, you're enchanting anyway!"

Now caressing her deeply blushing face with tenderness, he felt like getting more and more infatuated with her – if that was ever possible. Gently, Andrew tightened his embrace on her and inched his face closer to hers, committing to memory every little detail of her meek face. Then, he playfully rubbed his nose against hers and Monica's smile only faded when their lips touched, in a sweet loving kiss. She tilted her head as he pressed his lips more firmly on hers a second later; tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth as he kept on stroking her cheek. Once again with that familiar feeling of safety that only his arms could give her, she held him too, never wanting to let him go, doubting if there could be anything better than being in the arms of her eternal valentine.

"I'm so happy we'll stay together this Christmas, you know..." she said, a few instants later, resting her head against his shoulder, enjoying to be in his arms.

"The very first one we'll spend together after the Father gave us His blessing." He added, kissing her cheek and looking at her with tenderness.

"Yes... Imagine how it will be like in 100 years, Andrew! We'll have to give a small party with our friends to celebrate it!"

Chuckling, the blond angel nodded his head and kissed her one more time, "That will be something to have in mind, sweetie, but I can imagine what will happen to us if we keep on sitting here for the next 10 minutes: we'll become two frozen angels!"

Laughing and happy now that they were finally together and had the whole Christmas holiday off after working on a few assignments, they stood up from the ground and, hand in hand, headed to the red Cadillac parked not far from there. Andrew gave a few steps ahead of her and quickly opened the door for his beloved Monica, who gave him a peck on the lips before entering the car.

X

"I hope we can get to the cabin soon, you know, Andrew... Tess is already there and it's not fair that she prepares Christmas dinner all by herself, we should help her too." The Irish angel spoke, with slight worry in her eyes for leaving her dear friend doing all the work.

Andrew reached for her hand and gave it a kiss, "Tess likes cooking, angel, I'm sure she's enjoying to do it for us. But, yes, you're right, I too would like to get there soon..." there was a hint of worry in his green eyes too, but for another reason: the two angels were passing by a poor and deserted neighbourhood and, despite their angelic nature, he was afraid.

"Hey... What is it?" the Irish angel wanted to know, placing a hand on his shoulder and not missing his concern.

Sighing deeply, he looked around them and back at her, "I... I just don't like this place..." he said, stroking the back of her hand briefly and then turning his attention to the deserted street.

"We'll get at the cabin soon... and, Andrew, we're not alone, remember?"

"I know, angel..." he smiled softly, enjoying it as she bent to the side and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I love you!" Monica whispered into his ear.

"I love you too, baby... And if I weren't driving right now I'd hold you in my arms and kiss this pretty face of yours a million times!"

"Well, you'll stop driving when we get to the cabin..."

Laughing and with their hearts a bit lighter, they kept their way our of the city when suddenly, a loud noise scared them deeply. "Oh, no!" Andrew exclaimed, soon realising they had a flat tire. A few meters ahead, he parked the car and both got out of the vehicle.

"If Tess were here she wouldn't like it at all..." Monica spoke, frowning to see the front tire completely destroyed. The blond angel looked around them one more time and then rushed to pick up a step in the car trunk. Then, before he started to work on the damaged tire, he looked at his beloved wife and frowned again.

"Monica, I think you should wait for me inside the car, I won't take too long to fix it."

"But... can't I help you with something?" she said, visibly wanting to remain by his side.

"No... no, angel, it's ok, I can do it very fast, I..."

Suddenly, another noise, now a really frightening one, caused their hearts to jump for the second time in that afternoon: a woman, not far from where they were, was screaming. "Andrew, did you hear this? It's coming from that abandoned warehouse!"

"Monica, get inside the car, please!" his fear was such that his hands were shaking.

"But there is someone who may need help!"

"I know, but please, get in the car!"

They heard another cry and one word. "Please, help!"

"I'll go and see who it is; I'll be right back!" he said, after Monica had finally agreed to get in the Cadillac. She watched him heading towards the dirty and abandoned warehouse and started to pray for his safety, as well as of the poor woman who was crying for help.

"Oh Father, please, help him! Help Andrew to find this poor woman and please, protect him too... He's my heart, my everything... don't let anything bad happen to him."

While the Irish angel prayed with all her faith, Andrew crossed the street and entered the old warehouse. Cautiously, he crossed the damaged entrance gate and heard what seemed to be a very young woman crying and moaning. But she was not alone; soon, the blond angel heard a young boy's voice too: "... please, Sarah, hold on, I'll go and try to find help, but please, hold on!" he said, and seemed to be very nervous.

"No... I won't let you go, Edward, I'm scared! Please, stay here..."

Andrew gave a few more steps and soon his eyes became used to the darkness the place was in. And he didn't have to go too far to find out what was happening there.

A minute later, Monica saw the blond angel getting out of the old building and running towards the red Cadillac. Although she could see the worry and concern in his eyes, she heaved a sigh of relief to see her beloved Andrew back and safe.

"Monica!"

"Andrew, what is it?" she asked, already opening the door of the car.

"Please, come with me, we need your help!" he said, taking her hand as both headed back to the warehouse. There, in between cans of trash, there was a couple of teenagers, who could be around 16 years old. The girl was lying on the dirty floor and the boy was permanently holding her hand and trying to keep her calm, although he himself was as nervous as she was – both not knowing what to do. And the reason for the cries was a simple one: the girl was pregnant and about to give birth at any moment.

"Oh, dear Father!" Monica exclaimed, as she saw them. They were very poor, judging by their clothes, and probably didn't have a place to stay or a family to take care of them.

"This is my wife, she knows what to do..." Andrew told them, deeply worried about that girl's condition.

"You came to help us?" the girl asked, she and the boy looking at the angels with desperate eyes. Monica quickly knelt by her side and took her hand. "Yes, dear, I'll help you to have your baby..."

"Please... it hurts so much... I'm afraid something bad happens to my baby..." she replied, breathing hard.

"Please, lady, help her..." the boy pleaded, nearly crying.

"Can't we take her to hospital?"

"No, Andrew, for what I can see, the child will be born at any moment..." the Irish angel said, "We need water and some first aid material..." she said, wondering how she would help the baby and the mother in such terrible conditions and praying that everything would work fine for that poor teenager.

"We... we have a first aid in the car and some water, but..."

"That will have to be enough, Andrew, I'll need your help. And yours too, young man..."

The blond angel rushed towards the car and took he could find there – which was not much: a small first aid kit, a gallon of water and a blanket. Then he returned to the warehouse and helped Monica to prepare the girl for the delivery

X

Inside the warehouse, Monica placed Sarah in birth position while Andrew gathered some first aid material and water. And, although Edward had no idea of what to do, the young man was ready to do anything to help his girlfriend and their baby. He watched as the blond angel placed a wet cloth on the girl's forehead and frowned with concern at the pain that was evident on her face.

"Breathe, Sarah. And trust Monica, she has done it before."

"The contractions hurt so much!"

"They'll be over soon, I promise you," the Irish angel spoke, "Now I'll count to three and I want you to push, ok?"

"I'm scared..."

"I'm here too, Sarah, nothing bad is gonna happen," the boy spoke, never releasing his girlfriend's hand, "please trust Monica."

"Oh God... please, help me..." the girl cried, a mix of pain and despair evident on her face.

"God is watching over you and your baby, Sarah; I'm sure He guided Andrew and me to this warehouse so that we could help you. Trust Him..."

She nodded her head humbly, "I do..."

The dirty warehouse was filled with Sarah's cries. Two hours had passed since she went into labour and, so far, her suffering and struggle to give birth hadn't produced any result.

"Please, Sarah, you have to push harder!" Monica insisted.

"I'm trying, Monica!" the teenager replied, catching her breath. The conditions of the place didn't help either: it was very cold; besides, there was dirt and dust spread all around them. Andrew wiped Sarah's forehead once more, fearing that he would have to take her and the baby Home if anything went wrong.

"Father, please, help us..." he secretly prayed.

"Another contraction!" the girl cried.

"I'll count to three and you have to push harder, ok?" She nodded and the angel counted, "One... two... three!"

Using all her strength, Sarah pushed harder than before and, a second later, a smile appeared on Monica's face, "It's coming! It's coming, Sarah! Your baby is on the way!"

"Oh God... please, help me..." she said, with tears rolling down her face, and trembling body.

Edward watched his girlfriend's suffering and squeezed her hand tightly. "Please, help her and the baby..." he prayed, in a low voice. And then caressed her hair, "Everything will be just fine, Sarah... We'll be with our baby soon..."

"Keep on, Sarah, you're doing great!" Monica spoke, "I need you to push once more!"

"Ok..."

One more cry of pain filled the air a second later and the angels and Edward thought that she would pass out. But, all of a sudden, another cry echoed inside the warehouse, "Oh Father..." Monica spoke, with a broad smile upon her face, "Sarah, Edward, your baby is here!" she exclaimed, with tears of joy in her eyes, "And it's a cute and healthy baby boy!" the angel announced, holding the small crying child in her arms.

Her happiness was shared by Andrew, Edward and Sarah, despite the exhaustion she was feeling. The young couple looked at each other with tears of emotion and happiness rolling down their faces, and it moved the angels to see how much they loved each other and their baby.

"Oh, thank you God..." the teenager murmured, while Monica cut the baby's umbilical cord.

"A boy... My son... I have a son!" her boyfriend spoke, stunned with the miracle he had just witnessed.

Smiling at the boy's haunted face, Andrew patted his shoulder, "Yes, Edward! You have a son! You're a father now! Congratulations!"

"Thanks... Thank you... Thank you both..." he said, also smiling and with a dazzled expression. Then, he bent his head and caressed his girlfriend's hair, "You did it... I knew you'd do it, sweetie..."

"It's our baby, Edward! Our son!"

"Yes..." Crying tears of joy, Edward bent his head and kissed Sarah's forehead.

Monica cut the link that had kept mother and son together for 9 months and Andrew wrapped his own sweater around the baby's tiny form. Before Edward's marvelled eyes, the Irish angel took the baby close to Sarah. The little one was still dirty with blood, but the mother's need to see and touch him was more urgent than anything else.

"Here he is, Sarah... your son..." Monica placed the small child in his mother's arms and, with tears of both happiness and pain, the teenager stretched her arms and held her son for the first time, placing the baby against her chest, closer to her face. The little one was warm and never stopped crying, which indicated that, despite the difficult and unexpected birth, he was probably as normal as another new born baby.. "Hi sweetie... You're the cutest baby boy I've ever seen!" she said, her voice tired and hoarse with emotion, "Mommy and daddy are so happy because you're here!"

"We sure are... look at him, Andrew! It's amazing!" the boy exclaimed, fascinated with the little creature in his girlfriend's arms, "... he's so cute! And he has your eyes, Sarah..."

"But he looks like you a lot, Edward," she said, with a happy smile, and then turned her face to the angels, "Thank you so much..."

"Don't thank us, Sarah. Thank God for bringing us here at the moment you most needed us..." the Irish angel replied.

"Oh, yes, I have to thank you two, Monica... I don't know what would've been of us without you. But I know I have to thank God too," the girl said, caressing her son's cheek, "And ask for His forgiveness... I was so angry with him and just look at the present He gave me."

"Angry?"

"Yes, Andrew. We both were..." the boy added, a note of regret in his voice, "Sarah and I are homeless like our parents..."

"I'm terribly sorry..."

"But we were never separated you know... We grew up together and fell in love and... well, when I found out I was pregnant we started to gather all the money we could for our baby..."

"Some people told us that we should give the baby to somebody else... that we should sell our baby but we didn't want to. I got a job at a restaurant and the owner let us stay in a small bedroom at the back of the restaurant. But a few days ago he told us to go away because Sarah wouldn't be able to work and we came back to the streets and I felt... I felt that we were really alone... that nobody cared about us..."

"Oh but there's Someone who was watching over you all the time..." Monica spoke, with her eyes filled with tears to hear such a sad story.

Sarah turned her eyes to the baby, "I believe that now... I never got a Christmas present... He is the first one..."

"And life is the most wonderful present God can give someone..."

"I know... though I have to confess that I'm still scared..." she confessed, looking at the little creature in her arms with tenderness, "... how are we going to stay here, in this place and with a little baby?"

"Sarah is right, it's very cold... we could face it but... but our he's so little..."

Hearing that, Monica and Andrew looked at each other and the Irish angel nodded her head. Then, she looked back at the teenager and reached out to take her hand, "Sarah... Edward..."

The two teenagers looked at Monica and Andrew and what seemed impossible happened: a beautiful glow involved the couple who had been helping them all that time and they had a comforting and reassuring expression on their faces.

"Monica? Andrew? What's... what's happening?"

"We are angels," Monica announced, "Don't be afraid."

The couple was still confused, "Angels?"

"Yes."

"Oh God... You aren't here by coincidence... You've come to help us! I prayed to God to help us when Sarah started to feel pain; that's why you're here!" The boy exclaimed, with astonishment.

Andrew smiled at the boy's surprised and hopeful face, "Yes, that's it, Edward. We come to earth in this form to help the ones who need. And tonight, the most magical night of the year, we were sent especially to you..." the blond angel explained.

Monica nodded her head, "We have a message from God to you both... His plan is always perfect; He never makes mistakes and He never abandons His children. And right now, He wants to help you and this little child, but, for that, you need to have faith and trust your lives to Him. This little boy is a gift to you both, a precious gift and all that he asks of you is that you love him."

"We do! I don't know what's gonna happen to us or how we'll make it, but we would never give up on him..."

"If you're willing to live your life in God's teachings, if you're willing to give nothing but love to your child and to each other, then trust God and He'll do the rest... What comes out of love is nothing but love too." the Irish angel spoke, and suddenly the ugly, cold and dirty warehouse where they were staying at, turned into a cosy and clean place, with a fire lit not far from them, keeping the atmosphere warm and protecting them from the cold outside.

"Look at this..."

"It's a Christmas miracle!" the couple of teenagers exclaimed, marvelled with the sudden change.

"It's the second Christmas miracle of the night... the first one is right there in your arms, Sarah," Andrew added.

"Yes, it's the most miraculous night of the year! Merry Christmas, Sarah and Edward!" the Irish angel announced, she and Andrew had a broad smile on their faces.

"Have I missed something?" the sudden voice was a familiar and dear one, and the two angels turned around to see Tess carrying a few bags with food for everybody.

"In fact, we were missing you, Tess!" the Irish angel happily replied, "And we were eager to tell you the good news!"

"Yeah, but don't worry, Tess! Monica and I can keep you informed about the latest events!" the blond angel spoke, as the supervisor came closer to them and gave a good look at the little baby.

"Hum... I guess I have a slight idea of what's been happening here!"

"Are you an angel too?" Sarah wanted to know.

"Yes, baby, and I was sent to spend the night with you all and with this little boy who has come to this word." Tess was marvelled at the cute little child, "Does he have a name already?"

"Well... Edward and I had decided a long ago that, if it was a boy, we would name him Gabriel, as he's like a little angel who came to us... We couldn't imagine that the angels would be so close to us!"

"Gabriel! It's such a beautiful name!" Monica exclaimed, as happy as her angelic friends.

X

Monica and Tess took care of Sarah while Andrew taught Edward how to take care of his son. The Christmas night was spent there, in a poor neighbourhood, in an abandoned warehouse, but the angels' presence made it a warm, special and blessed place. On the Christmas morning, the news that a little baby had been born in that place quickly spread and lots of people – homeless or not, came to see in person the little miracle that had happened on that cold but magical night. Most of them, even the poorest ones, brought a present and were enchanted with the cute child.

Soon, the TV appeared too, broadcasting the amazing story of the homeless teenagers who, against all odds, were decided to keep their son with them and face together the adversities to come. Always protected by the angels, who remained invisible at their side the whole time, the couple of teenagers happily accepted the gifts and were surprised to see how many people came to see them and their child.

Suddenly, a very beautiful car stopped at the entrance of the warehouse and a very elegant old woman got out of it.

"Thank you, Edmund..." she politely said to the driver who had opened the vehicle door. Then, she looked around her and frowned to see the bad conditions of the place. "Dear God..."

The woman entered the warehouse, passing by the poor people who had also come to see the baby, and walked up to the young couple who remained inside, holding their small child.

"So it's true... it is true!" the old lady spoke, marvelled to witness the miracle that had happened the previous night. The two teenagers looked at each other and at her, who continued talking, "I heard about you both and about your baby and I just had to come and see you all..."

"Thank you, madam..." Sarah spoke.

The woman came closer and knelt right in front of the girl, and with emotion in her face, she reached out and stroked her face. "My name is Vivian Lewis."

"I'm Edward, this is Sarah and this is Gabriel, our son! Thank you for coming to see him, Ms Lewis..." the young man said, still wondering what such an elegant and visibly rich woman was doing there.

"You don't have anything to thank me... In fact, I'm the one who is thankful... I was watching the news on TV last night when I saw what happened here and..." a tear rolled down her face as she never removed her eyes from Sarah, "I lost a daughter some years ago... she looked just like you, young lady..."

"I'm... I'm sorry..." the teenager replied, already understanding how painful the loss of a child could be.

"Since then my days have been sad and lonely and... I kept asking God why I was still here on this Earth. But this morning, when I heard about you two and this little baby, something deep inside of me changed... your story, hearing about how you gave birth all alone, in such a terrible place... it moved me so much..."

"But we weren't alone, you know... God helped us!" Edward informed her.

"He sent His angels to help us!" his girlfriend added, taking a quick look at Monica, Andrew and Tess, who were standing close to them.

"Well... some time ago I'd doubt this story, but judging by how you managed to do it... I have to believe that only a miracle made it possible..." he inched closer and caressed the baby's cheek, "... he's such a cute little boy..."

"He looks like his mom!" the child's father happily exclaimed, and smiled as Sarah shot him a loving look.

Also smiling, despite her tears of emotion, the old lady nodded, "He sure does! And, if it weren't for him I wouldn't have found you three..." Once again the teenagers exchanged a confused look, "I came here to ask you something..."

Protectively, Sarah held her little boy closer to her chest, "I know what you're going to ask but I'm not giving my baby, Ms Lewis. I'm sorry you've lost a daughter but Edward and I made a promise that we'd always be together and that we'd take care of our son, no matter what..."

"Sarah is right, Ms Lewis... we won't give up on him..."

"Oh no! No, I wasn't going to ask you to give him away... Much on the contrary... I came here to ask you if...if you accept my help... I know you want to keep your child with you and I'd do the same if I were you, but I also know that things won't be easy for you, especially now... So please, let me help you... You remind me of my daughter so much, child... Let me do for you what I cannot do for her anymore..."

Now really surprised, the young couple looked at each other and at the angels, who were smiling at them. "You... you don't want us to give him to you?" Edward had to confirm that all the woman wanted was to help them.

"Of course not, I'd never dream of separating a family... All I want is a chance to keep on loving... I want a chance for me..."

"Well... in that case, you're much welcome, Ms Lewis!" the girl finally spoke.

"Oh Father... 3 Christmas miracles in only one night..." Monica spoke, wiping away the tears that were falling from her eyes. Knowing exactly how sensitive his beloved angel girl was, Andrew wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and brought her closer to him, kissing the top of her head.

"It's amazing that, despite all the difficulties, Sarah and Edward are so happy to have their baby in their arms. I'm glad that they'll have a little help from now on!" he said, running his hands through Monica's hair.

"It was the news about little Gabriel that guided that old lady up to this place. And I know exactly how that young lady is feeling!" the supervisor spoke, in a slight self-assured way.

The two angels looked at her a little surprised, "You do?"

"Of course I do, angel girl! The Father gave me two children too... What on Earth do you think you're both are to me, huh?"

Smiling, they held each one of her arms and kissed the oldest angel's cheeks, "Oh Tess, you're like our mother too... the most loving mother we could ever ask for!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Andrew added, chuckling at the contented expression on Tess' face.

"Well... I know that but thanks anyway, babies!"

Monica gave a few steps ahead of them and, with a permanent smile on her face, she conjoined her hands, "And all I ask for is that on this blessed day each and every person on this Earth can feel their hearts filled with joy, peace and much love, the same way I'm feeling right now."

Andrew and Tess also gave a step closer to their beloved Irish angel and stood by her side, holding her tight and joining her prayers, "May that be true, Father, for all Your children." The supervisor spoke, followed by the blond angel, "Yes... I wish every human being could feel the happiness and receive the love I feel and receive every day of my existence."

"Merry Christmas to the humankind!" the three angels spoke, and watched as the old lady offered the young couple and their son a place to stay. With a contented smile, Monica looked at Tess and Andrew, who didn't miss the opportunity to kiss the tip of her nose. Right before they started to disappear, they saw as the new family left the warehouse carrying the little baby boy and a white dove cooed and flew in the sky.

X

A little epilogue 

It was almost midnight and a young couple and their little son were now resting in a cosy and comfortable house far from the cold streets where they had grown up. Christmas had definitely been a good one for them and for the angels who had taken part in that little miracle.

Up in there in the mountains, which were now covered by a white blanket of snow, it was silent. The cabin where the three angels used to stay whenever they had some free time on Earth was warm and cosy and a closer look revealed that not all the angels were asleep. Wearing a thick robe over her flannel pyjamas, Monica was kneeling in front of the beautiful Christmas tree, placed by the fireplace, and had her hands conjoined – she had been praying there for some time. But suddenly, she felt another loving presence coming closer and a tiny smile appeared on her meek face.

Less than a minute later, Andrew entered the living room with his eyebrows raised and a questioning expression on his face. "Angel, what are you doing here?" he wanted to know, and his beloved Monica couldn't help giggling at his dishevelled blond hair.

"Well, I was... I was talking to the Father, you know. Thanking Him one more time for the opportunity to help people who need it, for being closer to the people I love, for you..." she spoke, reaching for his hand as he sat down next to her.

"Oh, for me?" he repeated, with a mock surprised face.

"Yes! I happen to love you very much, you know?" Monica cheerfully replied, and inched closer to him to brush a tiny kiss on his lips.

"Really? Oh well, then I must join your prayers right now to thank God too!" the blond angel wrapped his arms around her waist and also lay a tender kiss on her lips.

Trying to arrange his hair, Monica eyed him with an adorable questioning face, "What made you wake up? You were sleeping so peacefully and cutely!"

Chuckling at her wording, Andrew nodded, "Well, let's see... Maybe it was the fact that there wasn't 'anybody' there to elbow me during their sleep, or not 'anybody' to chat for long minutes, also during their sleep..."

Enjoying to see her blushing face and finding it incredibly adorable, he leaned against the couch, right in front of the fireplace, and pulled her to his arms, "Come here, angel."

"So you mean things were a wee bit monotonous there?" she asked, happily snuggling in his embrace and resting the back of her head on his strong chest.

"Definitely! But you know what? I'm glad I woke up and came here. Now, although it's almost December 26th, I feel like a kid who woke up in the middle of the Christmas night to see the presents that Santa left by the tree!"

She turned her head to face him, "Why?"

"Well, because I've found a beautiful, wonderful Christmas present by the Christmas tree: a cute little angel girl!" he concluded, holding her tight and kissing her cheek repeatedly.

Giggling again, Monica turned around and grabbed his face with both hands tenderly caressing his cheeks, "Well, so you're really blessed, mister, because I've heard that this little angel you've found will belong to you for the rest of eternity!"

Completely lost in her soft brown eyes and gently caressing her long auburn hair – now even more accentuated by the light of the fire, Andrew brushed a tender kiss on her forehead, "So this little angel can be sure that I'll love her and that I'll take care of her for ever!"

They were once more hypnotised by each other's gazes and soon their lips met in a loving and tender kiss and the Irish angel felt like falling in his arms one more time; both souls lost in time and place; aware of nothing but their own hearts beating in the same rhythm.

To be continued.

PS. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, full of joy and God's love!


	18. Sweet New Year!

Angel of mine series Episode 18: Sweet New Year! 

Monica had been together with the crowd of people who waited anxiously to see the fireworks colouring the new year sky on that cold but starry night. Her assignments – a family that had finally found their old and once lost grandfather, was not far from her and, although she had already accomplished her mission, they had invited the Irish angel to go and watch the celebration with them. And she had accepted it hoping that it would diminish the sudden sadness in her heart for not being with her dearest friends on that special occasion.

God's timing was different from human's, that was true, but due to their constant presence on Earth, doing the Father's work, His angels got used to counting years and days, as in a way, it was a way to count how many blessings they had been granted. And Monica knew Andrew was the greatest blessing she had received and the finishing year would be in her heart forever, as never had two angels been allowed to be joined as a married couple for the rest of eternity like they did. But on that special day, her beloved Andrew was missing, probably busy with an assignment in some part of the world, as well as Tess, her angelic 'mother', and now she would have to stay alone, waiting for the day she would see her loved ones again.

A little girl's cry called her attention and she smiled to see the excitement on her cute face – the counting down for the new year had started and the crowd's voices repeated the numbers all together. It was then that a pair of gloved hands covered her eyes in a gentle movement and the little angel heard a loving and familiar voice right into her ear a second later, "Happy new year, angel!"

Feeling a wave of emotion invading her heart, Monica turned around and saw the tall blond angel standing right behind her, and a teary smile broke on her face, "Andrew!" she spoke, making his heart ache just to listen the different way with which she pronounced his name. Gently, Andrew grabbed her face with both hands and crossed the small distance between them; their lips collided a second later, in a loving, affectionate kiss. The new year arrived at the same time that both shared that sweet caress and the blond angel slid his hands to her waist, lifting her from the ground and spinning her around, never breaking their kiss. Enjoying the feeling of his strong arms holding her tightly, the little Irish angel wrapped her own arms around his neck and never released him until the moment that air became an issue and they had to pull away a few inches.

"I love you, my angel girl!" he spoke, with his emerald eyes sparkling with love for her.

Monica raised her hand and caressed his handsome face, "Andrew... I love you, too! I love you so much!" she was almost crying with emotion, "I thought you wouldn't be here..."

"There's no way I'd spend _our _first new year away from you, my sweet angel girl!" he said, tenderly caressing her hair and laying feather like kisses on her forehead, "And this is the best new year I've ever had, you know?" the blond angel rubbed his nose on hers and kissed her lips once again, finally getting a giggle in reply.

"My best new year too... The first one we spend together since the Father blessed our love... And you came just in time for the fireworks!" her voice was now one of excitement and the expression on her face just like the little girl's one a couple of minutes before.

Chuckling and finding it adorable, he placed 3 quick pecks on her lips and then turned her around, wrapping his arms around her waist; Monica leaned on his embrace, resting the back of her head against his strong chest, and both angels watched as the fireworks formed many different and colourful forms and images in the sky, enchanting the crowd for the first ten minutes of the year.

At a certain point, Andrew bent his head and kissed her cheek, "Can you do something for me, angel?" there was a loving smile on his face as he said that, and she turned around to face him again.

"Of course, Andrew," she replied, and then her smile grew wider, "I'd do anything for you, you know?"

"Well, I kind of suspected that," he joked, tenderly caressing her cheek, "Close your eyes, angel..."

"Okay..." she obliged him and her heart started to pound with anticipation. Andrew took a few seconds more admiring her meek face and then he brushed his lips against hers one more time; he also took her hands and both finally disappeared through the crowd.

X

Monica and Andrew reappeared in the cabin, up in the mountains, where they had spent Christmas together. But it was silent now, Tess was not there. Their romantic kiss was over and they parted, although the Irish angel still remained with her eyes closed like an obedient little girl.

"May I open my eyes now, Andrew?"

"Yes, baby, open you eyes." he said, kissing her forehead. Only then Monica looked around her and realised where they were, "The cabin! Can we stay here? Do you have a day off?"

"Yep! And right before I went to meet you tonight, I prepared you a little surprise..." he made her turn around and only then Monica saw that there was a table set for two in the dining room, with candles lightening the place and a delicious dinner waiting for them.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, "Andrew, you didn't have to prepare it all by yourself, I could've helped you..."

"No, it was a pleasure... I hope you enjoy it..."

He was standing right behind her, combing her long auburn hair with his fingers, and she turned her head to look at him, "I love everything that comes from you..."

The blond angel kissed the top of her head and took off her coat, "Let me hang it for you." Nodding, Monica let him remove the garment and slip it down her shoulders and arms. "Now, let me take you to your seat, "Mrs"!" he held her hand and took her up to the table, pulling a chair for her. Once she was seated, Andrew gave her a light squeeze in the shoulders and kissed her cheek. Then, he sat down opposite from her.

X

Dinner was a romantic one, filled with tender gazes and caresses under the candle light. Andrew opened a bottle of champagne and filled their glasses, and he couldn't help chuckling when Monica took a sip and giggled at the ticklish sensation the small bubbles produced on her nose.

Some time later, they cuddled together in front of the fireplace, leaning on the many cushions the blond angel had spread there. As he tenderly ran his fingers through her hair, Monica watched the flames dance and, resting her head over his chest, she listened to the heartbeats of his human body.

"Dinner was perfect, Andrew. I wish I could cook as well as you do so that I could make you a surprise too..."

"Angel, you don't have to make me surprises. Just seeing you again is enough to make me the happiest creature in the world!" he brushed a tiny kiss on her forehead, as the smile on her face grew wider.

"But I really want to. You know that married couples should always invent something new to break up the routine and surprise each other? It's good to improve the relationship!"

Andrew let out a small laugh, as he was pretty sure that that sentence had been taken from some magazine his beloved angel girl had been reading. She frowned and raised her head, "What's so funny?"

"You're speaking a little bit like a human wife, angel!"

"Oh... Well, I still don't know many things about married life," she spoke, a little pensive, "And I want ours to be perfect, you know."

Andrew shifted positions and made Monica lie on her back, carefully placing a soft cushion under her head, "My existence became perfect and complete on the day I met you..." he traced the outline of her jaw with his index finger, drinking the beauty of her meek features.

Blushing a little, the Irish angel smiled again, lost in the spark of his tender gaze, "I know... But I keep on wanting to find new ways to show you how much you mean to me... I guess I'm in love!" she joked, copying the same sentence he had told her some time before, and touching his face and lips with her fingertips.

Andrew took her hand and kissed her palm, "In love? Really?"

"Yes, completely, hopelessly in love, mister!" she replied, giggling at his mock surprised expression.

"Well, in that case I cannot miss the opportunity to ask for a kiss..."

Her tender smile made his heart skip a beat and his heart ache with love, "You don't need to ask for what's already yours..." she said, gazing intently at his lips.

The blond angel bent his head on the following second, brushing his lips against hers in a loving, soulful kiss, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth. His fingers entangled in her auburn locks and the delicacy of his caresses made her feel pleasant butterflies in her stomach. The little Irish angel held him too, running her hands over his shoulders and arms, feeling the strength of his muscles underneath his sweater. When air became an issue, their lips parted and Andrew started to trail small kisses on her soft skin, along her delicate jaw. "I love you, my sweet angel..." he whispered, kissing her ear and neck, intoxicated with her sweet perfume.

"Oh, Andrew... I love you too... so much... For all the years of my existence..." she managed to say, before their lips collided in a new affectionate kiss, which was followed by uncountable others; all of them combined with delicate caresses and a multitude of loving feelings. Caresses that were like a love promise, a new reminder that they had been created for each other and would remain joined under the blessings of their creator for an eternity of new years to come.

To be continued.


	19. My sweet valentine

Angel of mine series Episode 19: My sweet valentine 

i_"... you already had 4 cups only this morning and right now I'm sorry to inform you that your caffeine level has reached the maximum limit allowed to angels!" Andrew spoke, to a very surprised and clearly not pleased Monica, who eyed him with wide and shocked brown eyes. _

"_Andrew!"_

"_Monica!" he repeated, crossing his arms in front of her chest and blocking her entrance to the kitchen. They were in a small apartment rented near their assignment's house, in a quiet and peaceful neighbourhood in Salt Lake City, and it was the 4th time the Irish angel crossed the kitchen door searching for more coffee. Somewhat fearing for her human condition, as they would have to stay in that form for some time, the blond angel decided that he should make his beloved Monica stop drinking her favourite beverage at least for that day._

_She too crossed her arms and stared at him even more surprised, "I can't believe you're doing this to me! You're... you're denying me coffee!"_

"_Correction: I'm denying you more coffee, "Mrs"!" he replied, decided not to let her pass through that door, and not even his last word managed to put an end on her annoyance. "How can you? I'm... You're... We are married!" she spoke, in a last attempt to have more of her favourite drink (and without a better excuse)._

_Those words only caused Andrew to chuckle, which made her even more annoyed, "This is not funny, Andrew!"_

"_I never told you that, but you look really cute when you get mad, angel!"_

_Monica's eyebrows knitted together and it was possible to notice a trace of hurt in her soft brown eyes. "You're making fun of me... I didn't expect you to make fun of me..." she spoke, and for the first time Andrew could notice that she was sad._

"_Hey, I'm not making fun of you, Monica! What I'm trying to do is to take care of your human form! You drank too much coffee today, it can cause you some harm and you are being stubborn not wanting to admit it!"_

_Her mouth dropped open when she heard that, "Stubborn? I'm not being stubborn and my human form is in very good condition, I can assure you!"_

"_That's because Tess is always watching over you so that you don't drink too much coffee and right now I'm joining her!"_

_But his words seemed to have the opposite effect on her and she was more and more hurt, "I know I'm not perfect..."_

"_I didn't say that!" now Andrew was starting to get worried – sometimes, his dearest friend was way too sensitive and that was when he had to be really tactful with her, "You're getting all wrong! And I don't like the way this conversation is going!"_

"_I can see you don't like it... I'll leave then, as there is an assignment waiting for me outside and I'll pray to be able to help her, even if I need other angels to keep an eye on me..."_

"_You are being stubborn again, Monica!" she heard him saying, before she left the apartment with a very hurt look on her face. The blond angel sighed deeply and ran his hand through his short blond hair, visibly annoyed, "Gosh! Why does she have to be that literal sometimes?"_

"_Who told you a marriage is always a bed of roses, angel boy?"_

_Tess voice made him turn around, "Tess, did you hear that?"_

"_Yes..." the supervisor spoke._

"_It's all her fault, Tess! I didn't mean any of this! She got upset because of something that was on her mind!" the blond angel exclaimed, not believing that he and his sweet Monica had just had an argument._

"_Objection, angel boy: she's upset because you, who always spoiled her and never denied her anything, took away her coffee. And you and I know better than anyone else what coffee means to her!"_

_Equally upset, he took his coat and opened the apartment door, "Well, maybe it's high time I stop being so lenient! If she doesn't want to take care of her human form, I'll do it, even if it means not pleasing her!" he left a second later, slamming the door behind him. _

_Frowning with concern, Tess looked upwards, "What's going on here, Father? The world is upside down or something?"_ /i

Andrew sighed deeply as he remembered the very first argument he and his beloved angel girl had had a few days before. Fortunately, it hadn't been anything serious but he hadn't seen Monica since then, as, some time after he had left the apartment, the blond angel was informed that he would have to stay with his assignment permanently and it meant to stay in the neighbour town, which was a bit far. Besides this, now that things had chilled off, he could analyse things better and felt rather guilty for letting her go out without clearing the air first.

Working as a mechanic and trying to fix a car, he'd been listening to his assignment's complaints for nearly two hours, since the young man had arrived there.

"... she's too sentimental, cries for any reason and I never know if she's in a good mood! Sometimes she gets mad at me for the most insignificant thing, Andrew!"

The blond angel took those words to his heart and nodded, his attention divided between the assignment and the little angel who would be part of his existence forever. "I see... But, do you really think this is a strong enough reason to break up the engagement? Can't you both just sit together and talk?"

"She doesn't want to talk when she had one of those 'you don't understand me' attacks! And the more I try to make her see my reasons, the more she cries and tells me that I'm wrong! How can we go on with a relationship like this? The best thing to do is stop it right now before it's too late!"

"But what if you're wrong?" Andrew stopped working on the car and looked at him.

"How can I be wrong if I've known her for 2 years?"

"Steve, tell me something: if Diane was totally opposite to what she is, would you have fallen in love with her?"

That question took the young man by surprise and he stammered, "I... I can't imagine Diane different from what she is..."

"And would you like to? You're telling me that she's over sentimental and that she exaggerates on things but what's her heart really like? Hasn't she done anything that made you feel proud of her? That made you feel happy because you had her love?"

It took the guy a few instants to reflect about the angel's words and he finally spoke again, in a low voice. "Diane is... very generous... The most selfless person I've ever met, you know. She has a great sensibility and is easily moved when she sees somebody in need of help - she's always ready to help, Andrew." he smiled as another memory came to his mind, "And... when she gets mad, it's usually because of an injustice, Diane cannot stand injustices and I remember that more than once she got into an argument to defend other people..."

Chuckling, as that description did remind him of "someone", the blond angel nodded again and added, "Sounds like she has a great heart!"

"She does have..." the young man looked at Andrew again with a very guilty and regretful expression on his face, "... I guess I've made a mistake..."

The angel placed his hand on his shoulder, "Steve... marriage is not only a bed of roses all the time... it also means understanding and forgiving. You know those kind of who people complain all the time for what they don't have but forget to thank for what they really have? Anyone can become these kind of people sometimes. Impatience, annoyance and sometimes problems that don't even have to do with the one we love can make us blind for a few seconds and we end up saying angry words or losing the patience with the one who least deserves."

"That's... that's what happened to Diane and me... I got so mad that I just... left. I should've tried to calm down and talk to her..."

"If you love that woman, if you really love her, there's still time to fix this."

"But the stupid car broke down!"

"Well, I'm heading that direction and if you want I could give you a ride."

The man smiled gratefully at him, "Gee, thanks! You saved my life, Andrew!"

Chuckling, the blond angel took the red Cadillac out of the workshop garage and Steve came inside – they were both heading back to the same town Monica was staying and it secretly cheered the angel's heart, as he too had some making up to do.

X

Monica held the heart shaped pendant in her necklace and let out another sigh. It'd been a few days her beloved Andrew had been called on an urgent assignment and she didn't even have the opportunity to say goodbye. The argument about a cup of coffee has been a silly one, now she realised that, and so was her leaving the house without clearing things up first. Now, all that the Irish angel longed for was to apologise and hold him tightly, as every time they had to be away from each other days seemed like centuries.

A stifled sob took her out of her reverie, though, and she looked at the young woman standing next to her. They were both preparing the school hall for the valentine's ball, which would happen that night, and although the decoration was almost finished, the expression on the woman's face was one of sadness.

"Diane, please, don't cry. It won't help you at all, I'm sure Steve will reconsider and call you back..." Monica spoke, feeling sorry for her.

"I can't stop thinking about what happened, Monica. now that I can see things clearly, I realise the argument Steve and I had was so silly, so..." she sighed deeply and lowered her head,"... and I'm ashamed for not giving him a chance to speak..."

Monica nodded her head, those words sure had a deeper meaning and caused her to remember the argument she and Andrew had had once again. Gently, the Irish angel guided the young woman up to some chairs and both sat down. "Diane, everybody makes mistakes and deserves a second chance."

"I just wish he would listen to me!"

"Did you listen to him in the first place? did you give him a chance to talk about his feelings?"

"No, I... I started to cry and he left... he left... why couldn't he stay, Monica?"

"Maybe because he was upset and couldn't think properly, maybe because he was as nervous as you are and you both had different reactions to the same problem. You started to cry and he decided to go away and I can assure you that none of these attitudes lead to communication."

Diana started to cry again, tears filled with regret, "What do I do now? I so want to apologise and tell him how much I love him, Monica. But I'm not really sure if he feels the same, if he wants the same...Not anymore..."

"How long have you been together, Diane?"

"For 2 years... We would get married at the end of this year..."

"And has he ever given you a proof of his love?"

That question really touched Diane and she shed some more tears, "Yes, many times... So many times..."

"Than I can only come to the conclusion that he loves you... And love doesn't go away because of an unimportant argument..."

Sometime later, after several attempts, Diane hung up the phone and sighed, "It says his phone is not within area... He's not in town, Monica. I guess... I guess this is it; Steve left me..."

"There you go again, saying things you're not sure of!" Monica looked at her straight in the eyes, "Diane, love, real love is holy; it's a gift from God and if He gave it to you both it's because He trusts you to use it the bast way you can."

"I know... And Steve is constantly on the road, travelling around the nearby cities and I'm always worried about him..."

"Then why don't you say a prayer? Why don't you ask God to keep Steve and bring him back to you so that you two can talk?"

"I will... I love him so much..."

"And I'm sure that God has great plans for the love you both share!"

X

Later, at night, the Valentine's ball started and although she tried to focus on her assignment, Monica couldn't help feeling the sadness that was inside her heart. Tess had showed up and told her that Andrew was somewhere in the other city, working on an assignment and that he would remain there until his mission was fulfilled. But staying away from him was always painful, especially they hadn't spoken since the argument, and being that Valentine's day only made the little angel feel sadder.

Standing in a corner, observing the couples dancing a romantic song and permanently holding the heart shaped pendant, Monica sighed and remember the Valentines day in the pervious year, when she and Andrew wondered if one day they would be allowed to be joined like a human couple, if God would bless their union and their love – which was so strong that had both characteristics: angelic and human. Hardly did they know then that this day was closer than expected.

"Oh, Andrew... my dear Andrew... Even if we cannot be together please remember how much I love you..." she whispered, before hearing her assignment's voice, "It's useless, Monica, he won't come back..."

"Diane, never give up hope. If he doesn't come back today, remember there's always tomorrow..."

A little boy, aged around 7, came closer to them and interrupted their conversation, "Excuse me, miss. Somebody asked me to give you this..."

The little boy gave her a heart shaped paper, "Oh, my... I didn't come here to find another date... I just couldn't..."

"Why don't you open it?" Monica suggested, always fascinated with the romantic ways human beings could invent to say 'I love you'. And somehow she felt that reading that paper was the right thing to do.

"Monica, I couldn't!"

"You don't know who it is..."

Diane sighed and decided to open the small paper heart. In it, two simple sentences made her heart jump: "I love you. Please, forgive me."

The young woman felt her heart beating faster and then she looked around her, searching for someone very special, "Oh, God..." she exclaimed, when, right across the hall, her beloved Steve gazed at her with loving eyes. Quickly, Diane crossed the distance between them, passing by many couples who danced a love song and finally the two of them could hold each other, in a tight, warm embrace, "I'm sorry, baby; I love you so much!"

"I'm sorry too, Steve. I... I feel so ashamed for arguing at someone I love so much!"

"I'm the one who's ashamed. I left without talking to you and I couldn't do it until now. My car broke down..." he pulled away and looked at her, "but none of this matters now: we're together!"

From a certain distance, Monica watched with contentment as the couple finally shared a loving kiss, putting an end to their argument. But that scene also brought a little bit of sadness to her heart, as once again she remembered her beloved Andrew and how much she longed to hold him again. The little boy whose parents owned the school, looked at the Irish angel fascinated with her beauty and decided he wouldn't miss the opportunity, "May I have this dance?"

A lovely smile appeared on Monica's face and she took his proffered hand, "Charmed!"

The Irish angel felt some of her sadness go away for a few moments while she danced with her young partner. When the song finished, the little boy politely guided her back to where she was and both bid each other farewell. Giggling, Monica watched as he took his mom's hand and left the hall and it was then that a sudden voice spoke from behind her, "I wonder if I can have the next dance..."

Monica placed her hand against her heart at the sound of that familiar voice and felt a wave of emotion filling her soul. She quickly turned around with tears already pricking her eyes and saw Andrew standing there, gazing at her with the usual tenderness and great love.

"Andrew..." was all she managed to say, moving to wrap her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Smiling and with his heart aching with love for that sweet and warm hearted creature, the blond angel slipped his strong arms around her waist, returning the embrace with the same intensity. "Oh, angel... My angel girl..." he spoke, against her hair, kissing her shoulder and intoxicated with her sweet perfume.

"I'm terribly sorry!" the Irish angel pulled away just enough to look at him, "Are you still mad at me?"

"Mad? Oh, angel, I was never mad at you..." he reached up and caressed her cheek, feeling twice terrible for letting her go out like that, "... I'm the one who's sorry, I'm the one who should apologise... you're very, very precious to me, Monica and never again I want to see you crying because of me..." he wiped away the tears on her face.

"I'm not crying because of you," she sniffled and blushed a little, "... I'm crying because of me... I was such a fool to argue with you because of a cup of coffee..."

He couldn't help but chuckling and after brushing a tender kiss on her forehead, he lay his palm on her cheek, "I can't imagine you arguing with me for any other reason than your mocha! I should've known better than to take it away from you, my sweet angel girl!"

Now Monica blushed deeply and let out a small giggle, mixed with a sob, "But... I love you more than I love coffee, you know that, don't you?"

Now laughing openly, he nodded, "I confess that I had a slight suspicion!" Then, Andrew cupped her chin and looked straight into her brown pools, seeing all her love she felt for him reflected in there, "I love you, angel. I love you forever... Happy Valentine's Day!"

"Happy Valentine's Day too, Andrew!"

They crossed the small distance between them and their lips met a second later, in a soulful, sweet kiss. Andrew also kissed the tip of her nose, the corner of her lips and her cheeks, "My sweet angel valentine!"

With a broad smile, she held him again and that was when the next song started to play. At the sound of "Valentine," from John Brickman, Andrew offered her his hand, "You didn't answer to my question... May I have this dance?"

"Always..." she replied, with a smile that melted his heart for the thousandth time since they had ever met. Both walked up to the dance floor and, never breaking the eye contact, stood face to face. the blond angel circled her waist and brought her closer to him. she placed one hand over his shoulder and the other held his hand.

"This song just for you, angel! It says some of the things I wanted to say to you all these days we were apart from each other..." he whispered into her ear, and then they started to sway elegantly with the slow rhythm of the melody.

i_Valentine (John Brickman)_

_If there were no words  
no way to speak  
I would still hear you  
If there were no tears  
no way to feel inside  
I'd still feel for you_

_And even if the sun refused to shine  
even if romance ran out of rhyme  
you would still have my heart until the end of time  
you're all I need, my love, my valentine_

_  
All of my life  
I been waiting for  
all you give to me  
you've opened my eyes  
and showed me how to love unselfishly_

_I've dreamed of this a thousand times before  
but in my dreams I couldn't love you more  
I will give you my heart  
until the end of time  
you're all I need, my love, my valentine_

_And even if the sun refused to shine  
even if romance ran out of rhyme  
you would still have my heart until the end of time  
cause all I need is you my valentine  
you're all I need, my love, my valentine_/i

"I love it... it's perfect..." she replied, enchanted with the loving lyrics. The couple of angels only broke the eye contact when Andrew kissed her forehead and then she rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "I love dancing with you..."

"I can say exactly the same... Which reminds me: you do owe me an explanation, Mrs!" her eyebrows knitted together with confusion, "An explanation?"

"Yep! Who was that little buddy dancing with you a few minutes ago and obviously making eyes at you, huh?"

The sound of her giggles was definitely the best sound he'd ever heard as it would always fill her heart with joy. She raised her head, with eyes bright with love, and kissed his chin, "You're so cute when you get mad!"

X

The two angels danced some more songs together before Andrew guided her to the exit of the hall, "Where are we going, Andrew?"

"Well... right before I came here, I had to stop at a certain place to prepare something special for a certain angel..."

Monica eyed him with an inquisitive expression on her face, "You could use some more clear words, you know?"

He kissed her cheek, "I know. But it would spoil the fun! All I can say is that I'll kidnap you for a few hours, angel..."

She stopped walking and looked at him with an adorable mix of confusion and curiosity on her face, "Kidnap me?"

"Yes..." he reached inside the pocket of his jacket and took a scarf, "Could you close your eyes, please?"

Looking at the piece of fabric and then at him, still with a puzzled expression, she obliged to his request and Andrew covered her eyes with it.

"Andrew, what are you doing?" she asked, burning with curiosity.

He took her free hand in his own and placed his other hand around her waist, to guide her along the lane, "There's a place I want you to go with me. Don't worry, angel, I'm here at your side, I won't let you fall."

"I know that, Andrew; I want to know where you're taking me!" she insisted, now with some impatience, but only managed to make him kiss her cheek again.

He guided her up to the end of the street, where Tess' Cadillac had been parked. Then, the blond angel made her stop and opened the door for her. "We'll drive for a few minutes..." he helped her to get in and closed the door, rushing to the other side of the vehicle, taking the driver's seat.

"Can't I lift the scarf just a wee bit?" the little Irish angel asked, touching the fabric.

"Nope! You're forbidden to do it!"

She let out an unsatisfied sigh and had to accept his orders, knowing that he wouldn't put an end to her curiosity anytime soon.

X

Andrew drove for about 40 minutes and all this time Monica remained with her eyes covered, and even if she was burning with curiosity, he didn't allow her to remove the handkerchief. The blond angel talked to her all the time, though, and occasionally squeezed her hand so that she could feel he was there. When they finally arrived at their destination, though, Monica could feel the soft breeze of the ocean blowing against her face and a lump formed in her throat. "Andrew..."

"I guess you must have a slight suspicion of where we are, right angel? I won't keep you waiting anymore..."

Gently, he removed the piece of cloth around her head and she opened her eyes: they were at a deserted beach, the same beach where they had spent their honeymoon, several months earlier. Since then, they hadn't returned there.

"The beach... our beach..." the Irish angel exclaimed, her eyes bright with emotion to remember all the good moments that they had there: she spent the best days of her existence in that place.

"Come with me," Andrew offered a hand a helped her out of the car, "The house is over there. We can take a walk on the beach tomorrow morning, baby. It's a bit cold right now."

"The beach house..." Despite the tears in her eyes, she soon viewed the cosy cottage in front of the ocean and, as they climbed the porch steps, Andrew made her stop. "This is my Valentine's present for you, sweetie. I hope you like it..."

Moved with emotion, she tenderly caressed his cheek, "My best Valentine's present will always be you, Andrew. Always you."

He took her loving words to his heart and kissed her palm, "Aren't you opening the door?"

Suspecting that there was something else he was hiding, Monica turned the knob and pushed the door open. And then, one more time, her mouth dropped open with what she saw: there were roses everywhere, in the entire house. And there weren't only red roses: a multitude of different colours was spread along the rooms, some of them were in bunches, beautifully decorated, others were alone, inside small vases.

Speechless and now with tears rolling down her cheeks, she turned to the blond angel, who had a pleased smile on his face, "Andrew... I... I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything, angel. I can easily read what's in your eyes and in your heart..." he spoke, caressing her face once again.

"I love you so much... So much, Andrew, that sometimes I feel like crying because I can't find enough words to tell you so..."

He brushed a tiny kiss on her lips and then took her hand, "You tell me that everyday, sweetie, in every possible ways you can imagine."

She walked along the rooms, looking around them, astonished and enchanted with the decoration. Their bedroom was the last room she entered and on their bed, over her pillow, there was one single red rose with a card.

"I wanted to return all this love you give me by finding the right words for you too," Andrew spoke, standing behind her and softly caressing her arms up and down, "They say roses speak for themselves and I guess they do... but even so, I wrote you this card..."

Smiling and with tears falling freely from her soft brown eyes, Monica sat down at the edge of the bed and took the rose and the card. She ran her fingers through the soft paper before opening it and when the blond angel sat down beside her, she looked back at him. "You have the sweetest and most loving heart in this whole universe, Andrew... I'm so blessed to have you..."

The blond angel put a few strands of hair behind her ear and tenderly caressed her cheek, "No... you have it!" he kissed her lips softly and when they parted she finally opened the card. In it, a loving message written by Andrew himself.

iThe meaning of the roses:

Red: Love, Beauty, Courage and Respect, Romantic Love, Congratulations, I Love You, Job Well Done, Sincere Love, Respect, Courage & Passion.

Dark red: Unconscious beauty.

Single red: I love you.

White: Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness, I am worthy of you, Heavenly, Happy love.

Pink: Appreciation, "Thank you", Grace, Perfect Happiness, Admiration, Gentleness, Please Believe Me.

Dark pink: Appreciation, Gratitude, Thank You.

Light pink: Admiration, Sympathy, Gentleness, Grace, Gladness, Joy, Sweetness.

Yellow: Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me, "I care."

Yellow with red tip: Friendship, Falling in Love.

Orange: Enthusiasm, Fascination.

Red and white: Given together, these signify unity.

Red and yellow: Jovial and Happy Feelings.

Peach: Appreciation, Closing of the deal, Let's get together, Sincerity, Gratitude.

Pale peach: Modesty.

Lavender: Love at first sight, Enhancement.

Red rosebud: Symbolic of purity and Loveliness.

My precious Monica,

The roses, in their many colours and different meanings, were the best way I found to express all the loving feelings you inspire in me, my sweet angel girl. When I look at them, I see the same colours I see in you, and they express all the same wonderful sentiments that are inside your loving heart. That's why having your love means that I'm the most blessed creature in the whole universe. I'm so grateful for everything that comes from you, my love; for all the seconds of your existence that you devote to me.

Thank you for loving me, angel./i

Sobbing, she looked at him with a crying smile and threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly as she clung around his neck. "I love you... You're my everything... My most precious blessing..."

"So are you, baby... Happy Valentine's day again... I love you!" he spoke, tenderly combing her long auburn hair with his fingers, as if committing to memory every single strand and its sweet perfume. Andrew allowed her a few moments to recover and then pulled away, gently wiping her tears, "Well... With you, all my days are Valentine's day anyway!"

Monica reached out to touch his face, running her slender fingers along his cheek and lips, "You always bring the sun to my heart... that's why it's always filled with happiness... And I promise you, Andrew, that I'll make your days happy ones for the rest of eternity..."

"You already does it, angel," he replied, kissing her lips softly while stroking her cheek. When they pulled away she smiled shyly and reached inside the pocket of her jacket – which he had gently draped around her shoulders during the ride to the beach house.

"I... I also bought you something, you know. It's not something as wonderful as what you did for me, but I... I chose it with much love and just hope you like it..." she said, handing him a small velvet box. The blond angel quickly took her hand and kissed her palm, "You didn't have to give me anything other than your love, I love absolutely everything that comes from you, Monica."

He opened the small box and found a beautiful silver chain with a Celtic knot pendant. "Oh, angel... it's beautiful..." he said, really pleased with the gift.

"It's the Celtic love knot, you know. The single continuous line of this knot symbolises eternal love and fidelity," she explained.

"Then I understand why you chose it, baby." he kissed her lips one more time, "Thank you, I love it... It's perfect as everything else that comes from you."

"Let me see what it looks like on you?" the little angel asked, excitedly as she saw he really loved the present.

"Sure!"

She passed the chain around his neck and fastened the clasp in its back, then she stood up to inspect her work and pointed at the Celtic knot pendant, "Now when we're apart, you too have something to remind you of me... of our eternal love." His heart melted with the smile on her face and before he could reply to that, she kept on talking, "I know what you're gonna say: that you don't need it to remind me of me but that you'll keep it right close to your heart, as one more evidence of our love!"

Laughing, the blond angel took her hand and kissed the back of it, "How did you get so wise, huh?"

"Well... I guess it's because it's you I'm talking about and it's easier to talk about something... or someone... that you love! Like a valentine!"

Still smiling, he pulled her to sit on his lap and wrapped his strong arms around her waist, carefully studying her meek features, "I couldn't agree more, my sweet valentine, if all the moments I'm alone it's you that I keep on contemplating on my mind... treasuring all your adorable traits!"

Monica felt pleasant butterflies in the stomach as his warm breath tickled her lips and his green pools broke the contact with her soft brown eyes. Andrew couldn't resist to her tempting rosy lips and inched closer to kiss them one more time, sure that there wasn't anything sweeter than the flavour of her mouth. Monica surrendered to that sweet caress and returned it with the same intensity, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head so that their kiss deepened.

"I love you..." he heard her saying, as he trailed tiny kisses on her neck and gently removed her jacket, which feel on the floor, leaving her white soft skin more exposed to him. "I love you too, angel..." was his reply, as now he kissed her earlobe, causing her to feel a lump forming on her throat.

The blond angel encircled her waist, running his fingers through her hair, caressing her soft skin, and their lips collided once again. When they parted it was just for a few seconds, as another kiss started, as deep and just as loving as the first one – and as all the ones that came later on, together with gentle caresses and whispered loving words.

On that starry and happy Valentine's night the two angels turned into humans fell asleep in each other's arms, lulled by the sound of the crashing waves at a distance and by the beating of their hearts, which followed the same rhythm and seemed to repeat the words 'I love you' permanently and for the rest of eternity.

To be continued


	20. You're beautiful

Angel of Mine Series Episode 20: You're beautiful 

Monica walked along the sand on that sunny morning with a permanent smile playing on her lips and an extra spark in her soft brown eyes. The waves in the ocean were almost non-existent and the contact with her small feet produced a ticklish sensation which she knew Andrew would certainly tease her for. When the Irish angel woke up he was still asleep but as she felt a deep wish to see the ocean and as it was too early in the morning, she decided to go out just for a little while. Hopefully, by the time she returned to the beach house, he would still be sleeping and she would have the opportunity to see him waking up.

The gentle breeze that was blowing against her face made her remember the previous night – the Valentine's day night, when the blond angel decided to make her a surprise by covering her eyes with a scarf and bringing her there. But that breeze, that beach, the small cosy house where they were staying at: everything there was etched in her mind forever, like a precious memory, and she recognised that special place at the moment they arrived there even if her eyes were covered.

Monica had been out there for some time now and, worried as Andrew would wake up any time soon, she headed back to the beach house. But as she came closer to it, the Irish angel could make out his strong and tall form standing in the sand, with his hands on his pockets quietly observing the sea. She started to walk faster and as soon as he saw his 'sweet valentine' coming towards him, a smile broke on his lips, along with an expression of pure fascination at her beautiful image. Monica's hair was loosen and even brighter under the morning sun and the gentle wind dishevelled the auburn curls that spread over her shoulders; her long lilac dress was loosen and flying along with her hair, forming a perfect angelic picture.

By the time she approached him, Andrew was lost in wonder, practically astonished with her heavenly beauty – since they first met, he'd always found her extremely beautiful, but on that morning, under the rising sun and walking on the deserted beach with the gentle wind blowing against her, she was just gorgeous, the most gorgeous creature God had ever made and the blond angel felt his heart filled with gratitude for being the one to be honoured with her love.

He was more and more infatuated with her and the sound of her soothing voice along with the spark in her soft brown eyes made his heart skip a beat. "Andrew... I didn't think you would wake up so soon..." she said, with a slightly worried expression on her face, but he was so enchanted with her image that it took him a few instants to reply.

"... you're so beautiful..." he managed to whisper, contemplating her meek features as if he'd fallen in love all over again at that very moment.

Blushing a little, as she could easily read his green pools, she smiled, part of her worry had vanished immediately. "Thank you... I'm sorry I wasn't there..."

Andrew quickly pressed a finger against her lips, "Shh... no apologies, angel. Just let me look at you for a moment..."

Normally, he would spend hours watching the little Irish angel with marvelled eyes, or listening to whatever she had to tell him but on that very moment he felt something so special and so extraordinary that not even he knew how to explain it.

Blushing twice, Monica bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes for a second, facing him again with a broader smile, "You're making me blush here, you know?"

Chuckling, he reached out to caress her cheek and just the mere fact that he could touch her skin caused a lump of emotion to form in his throat. "I can see that... And you look even more adorable to me..."

"I woke up early and heard the noise of the ocean so... I felt a deep wish to take a little walk on the sand, just for a few minutes..." she said, leaning on his palm, treasuring that soft caress.

"And I'm glad you did it so that I could watch you walking towards me..."

"... but I wanted to come back before you woke up..."

Still lost in wonder, he shook his head, "No... it was perfect this way..."

Monica frowned a little and tilted her head in an inquisitive way, "Andrew?" she said, pronouncing his name the way nobody did, "Is there something wrong?"

"No... I... I just feel like I cannot take my eyes from you... anytime soon, angel!" he replied, smiling at her concern and finding the way she looked at him incredibly cute.

"Hum... I see..." she gave one step closer to him and, highly amused, lowered her voice, as if telling a very important secret, "So I'm afraid you're in love!"

He let out a small laugh and looked at her from head to toe once again, cupping her chin afterwards, "And I'm afraid you're perfectly right!"

A second later, their lips finally collided in a soft and soulful kiss. Andrew encircled her small waist and brought her closer to him, tenderly running his fingers through her auburn locks. Feeling pleasant butterflies in her stomach, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered to that sweet caress, which only her beloved Andrew could give her.

When they parted, he also lay kisses on her cheeks and forehead and once again on her lips, "I love you so much, baby..." she heard him saying, while holding her tightly against him and smelling her sweet perfume. The Irish angel rested her head on his strong chest and nodded, "I love you too, Andrew..."

They spent a few minutes like that, just holding each other and treasuring that tender contact. It was Andrew who broke the silence, "Let's go inside? I prepared breakfast."

"Yes... To be honest... I'm quite hungry, you know."

They pulled away and he kissed the back of her hand, "I prepared you everything you like... including an entire bottle of mocha!"

Giggling, she stopped briefly and grabbed his face with both hands, giving him three kisses on his lips, "You're the sweetest angel in the whole universe!"

X

Later on that day, both angels decided to take a walk on the beach, now going much farther than what Monica had gone early in the morning. And she had the great idea to make a picnic so they took food and another thermos flask full of coffee inside the basket Andrew was carrying. With childlike excitement, the Irish angel felt the small waves against her ankles and had a different comment for every little thing that surrounded them and at a certain moment, Andrew let go off the basket of food and lifted the giggling angel in his arms, carrying her along the way, enjoying the sound of her giggles.

Holding each other's hands and chatting happily, the two reached the end of the shore and then sat down under the shadow of a coconut tree. And much to the blond angel's amusement, Monica started to guess the shape of the clouds that could be seen in the horizon.

"A four leaf clover, definitely!" she said, resting her back against his chest and enjoying to have his arms around her shoulders.

"I don't think so, Monica, it looks more like a car..."

"A car? No, Andrew, this is definitely a four leaf clover!"

He decided not to argue with her and tried another cloud formation, "Okay... What about that one?"

She smiled as he pointed to the other cloud, "It's a cute wee dog!"

Noticing how Andrew rolled his eyes and chuckled, she turned her head and faced him, "What? Don't you think it's a dog?" she asked, horrified with his 'lack of vision'.

"Well..." he tried the best he could but there was no way that cloud could look like a dog, "... actually, no..."

Now it was Monica who rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrows, "You male angels... Honestly!"

Laughing at her annoyance, he kissed her cheek repeatedly and tightened his hold on her and both angels remained there, resting peacefully in front of the ocean. Once in a while, Andrew would caress her hair or rub his hands against her arms or play with her hand and fingers, hearing to her soothing voice and her philosophical remarks about the world around them and about their love.

"I wish we could stay here some more time, you know..." she spoke, and felt him kissing the side of her head lovingly, "Me too, angel... But you know what? When I think that we'll have all the eternity to stay together, I feel like the most blessed creature in the whole universe."

With a cheerful smile, she turned her head to face him, "Me too, Andrew! Having your love makes me feel... complete..." She shifted her position in his arms so that they were face to face and the sweet expression on her face along with the tender and loving way she looked at him caused the blond angel to feel a surge of emotions once again taking control of his heart. Of course he loved her deeply, he had been in love with her for a long time, even when they thought their relationship was friendship. But on that day, for some strange reason yet unknown to him, he felt fascinated every time he looked at Monica. Having her so close to him made his heart beat faster and after contemplating her meek features he bent his head and brushed a loving kiss on her rosy lips, sure that there wasn't anything sweeter than the flavour of her mouth – now mixed with the taste of the mocha that she had just finished to drink.

When they parted, he playfully rubbed his nose against hers and covered her face with tiny kisses. Some time later, the angels returned to the beach house and Andrew prepared their lunch – with the precious (and somewhat disastrous) help of his sweet valentine, who had to be gently convinced that chilli pepper and chocolate together were not a good idea for a salad dressing.

And they spent the rest of the day there, enjoying each other's company and happily lying in each other's arms, exchanging kisses and loving caresses and making love promises for the time they would meet again. The time to say goodbye soon arrived, even if they wanted to freeze the clock and have some more minutes for themselves.

"You know, I'm always sad when... when we have to say bye but... if there's something that makes me happy other than being with you is doing the Father's work." Monica spoke, wrapping her arms more tightly around his waist, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. They were now wearing different clothes, ready to go away as soon as Tess arrived and that could happen at any moment.

He nodded and caressed her long auburn hair, "You're right, angel... Yet... I cannot stay away for long." He pulled away and caressed her cheek, "I promise I'll come by to check on you, sweetie. Even if it's just to say I love you!"

A tearful smile appeared on her face, "Will I have a kiss too?"

Chuckling, he cupped her chin and inched closer to her, "Always!"

Once again, they shared a long loving kiss, aware that that wonderful sweet day spent at the beach house was now etched in their memory forever. That sweet caress soon became lots of tiny kisses and it was then that they heard someone clearing her throat right next to them and pulled away.

"Tess!"

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you, angel babies, your day off has come to an end..." Amused, she raised her eyebrows, aware of their blushing faces to be caught up in the middle of a kiss, "... and for what I can see it must have been very a good day off, as the last time I saw you two you weren't that close to each other!"

"Andrew and I talked about what happened... It's all solved now, Tess." Monica spoke, holding her beloved Andrew's hand.

The supervisor didn't miss that and was going to say something else when she noticed two empty bottles of coffee on the table, "But... what does that mean, for Heaven's sake?" she turned her eyes to Andrew, who wanted to vanish at that very moment, "You said you'd stop being so lenient, what made you change your mind?"

Now the blond angel stammered a little and looked at Monica slightly embarrassed, which caused Tess to roll her eyes with mock annoyance, "Oh, for Heaven's sake, forget it!" While the two angels exchanged an embarrassed but also amused glance, she grabbed her car keys, which were hanging on the wall, left there by Andrew on the previous night, and spoke again, "Now let's get going, you two!"

Once again, the couple looked at each other and then back at the supervisor, "We both?"

"Yes, Miss Wings, you both! Our next assignment is exactly the way it's supposed to be: we all together, so that I can keep an eye on my two angel babies and that you two can stay together like the cute angelic couple that you are!"

With broad smiles on their faces, they held each other and Andrew lifted the Irish angel off the floor, turning her around and kissing her lips repeatedly, which caused Tess to roll her eyes again (although she was trying to hide a pleased smile to see them both together and so happy).

"What are we waiting for? Let's get going, we have some work to do!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Andrew replied, he and Monica kissing the supervisor's cheeks.

They left the beach house and entered the red Cadillac parked outside, leaving that special place afterwards. And specially on that occasion, Andrew asked Monica to seat together with him, on the back seat; all day long, he'd had the same pleasant and urgent feeling to hold his angel girl tight and tell her over and over again that he loved her. Even if they had been joined as a couple with the Father's blessing a while ago, at that very moment, he felt something new; it was as if he'd fallen in love with her again and needed to be close to her all the time, treasuring the feeling of having that sweet creature in his arms.

To be continued


	21. An angel named Monica

Angel of mine series Episode 21: An angel named Monica 

Monica came along the crowded streets of Richmond, Virginia, at the end of that rainy afternoon, and the expression on her face was not a happy one. She was on assignment and although she knew Andrew could also be there, there wasn't much to celebrate about it – he too was on assignment, and as an angel of death.

She walked down the steep hill and reached a cross road – without a certain destination, the Irish angel had been told to walk and be attentive to everything around her. Monica had been there before, at The Sign of the Dove, a traditional bar that stood in the main street and which was not only visited by tourists and local people but also by angels – one angel in special. For a few instants, she smiled remembering that her beloved Andrew had a special connection with the family that owned the place and even had a chair in his honour. She also cheered the day they both danced at that same bar, when Benjamin Mason, the owner of The Sign of the Dove, got married. It was a beautiful ceremony and a very happy day which would be in her memory for the rest of eternity.

But her smile didn't last for long: soon she was in the main street, with a worried look back in her eyes – where would she go?

Her question didn't remain unanswered for a long time: suddenly, not far from where she was, Monica saw a two year old little girl crossing the street and a pick up truck heading towards her. Her heart started to pound loudly in her chest and she knew she had to do something immediately.

Rushing towards the little girl, the angel in human form crossed the street in front of the truck and tried to reach the baby at the same time her mother screamed and Andrew appeared on the other side of the street. And panic took control of Andrew's soul when he saw his beloved angel girl in front of the vehicle, trying to save that innocent child; a fear and terror he had only experienced once, when she was sent to hospital due to an explosion in a building, a few weeks before they made their vows.

For a moment he thought that his assignment was to take two lives Home – one of them belonged to his beloved Monica, the angel with whom he shared the deepest connection two heavenly beings could share; the one with whom he had been joined with the Father's blessing for the rest of his existence. Never had two angels been permitted to share such a powerful feeling and now it seemed that that beautiful love story would end tragically like many others that Andrew himself had witnessed during all those years working as an angel of death.

"Oh Father... please, don't... don't do this to me..." he prayed, with his heart filled with anguish and pain. Immediately following his instincts, and somewhat forgetting about his duty, he started to run towards the place, in a desperate attempt to avoid that tragedy.

Everything happened very fast: when the pick up truck was about to hit them, Monica managed to grab the little girl and run to the side walk, where she stumbled and fell on the ground, scratching her arm and the back of her hands, but holding the little baby girl safe and sound in her arms.

At that very moment, Andrew turned into human form, and he and the baby's mother rushed towards them still in shock.

"Hanna? Hanna, baby, oh my God! Thank you! Thank you!" the woman cried, taking the scared little girl in her arms.

"Angel? Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Andrew spoke, also kneeling next to them and helping Monica to sit up straight, immediately noticing the scratches on her delicate skin.

"Andrew?" she spoke, her body still trembling.

"Angel... God, for a second I thought... I thought that..." he didn't manage to speak – all the blond angel could do at that moment was to hold her tight. His human heart was also pounding loudly in his chest and he dreaded to think about the tragedy that could have happened there.

Monica also held him tightly and briefly closed her eyes, lifting a silent prayer thanking God for allowing her to reach the little girl in time. And she was also sorry for Andrew – she could feel the beat of his heart against her chest and the way he was fiercely clutching to her was an evidence of the great shock he'd had. Tenderly, Monica reached up and started to caress his hair and to speak soft words in his ear, "I'm okay now, Andrew, please, calm down..."

"I almost lost you, angel... God, I almost saw you and this little girl being hit by that truck..." his voice was filled with emotion and still deep fear.

"But it didn't happen... Please, try to calm down..." she gently pulled away a few inches and placed her hand on his face, not missing the few tears in the corner of his troubled green eyes, "I'm here in your arms; God was protecting us all the time..."

"I know, angel..." he spoke, also stroking her cheek and placing a tiny kiss on her forehead.

"Yes, He was..." the woman standing right beside them finally spoke, still holding her little daughter the same way Andrew was holding Monica, "I'll thank Him for that... but I'll also thank you, miss, for what you did for my little baby daughter... You were like an angel who appeared at the right time and saved her life."

The two angels looked at each other and Monica took the baby's tiny hand, "I'm happy I was there at the right time to help this pretty little girl!"

The woman noticed the scratches on her hands and arms, "You're hurt; please come with me, I live near here and you can take care of these scratches."

Andrew helped them both to stand up and picked up the supermarket bags that the woman was carrying. Then they walked down the main street – with the blond angel keeping a permanent hold on Monica's shoulders.

"I guess I've never been so afraid in my entire life... I let go of her hand for a second so that I could take the supermarket bags and she just ran away..."

"I guess I can understand what you've been through..." the blond angel replied, and the woman could see the deep concern on his face, as well as notice the deep connection between those two strangers, judging by the look in his eyes.

"My name is Rebecca and this is little Hanna..."

"It's nice to meet you both, Rebecca. My name is Monica and this is... this is my husband, Andrew," she replied, still not used to calling him that way (but deeply happy to do so).

At that moment, the woman looked at them with curious eyes, "This is interesting..."

"What?" the Irish angel wanted to know.

"Well... nothing, it's... well, let's go home first and take care of your scratches."

They walked for a few minutes more and finally arrived at the woman's house: Rebecca lived on the upper floor of a bar named the Sign of the Dove. The two angels looked at each other with surprised eyes observing the place where, nearly two years before, they had danced together on a great wedding party. Loving memories of one of the best moments they had ever spent together soon started to erase the anguish and fear that had settled in their hearts when the tragedy with the truck almost happened.

Monica felt Andrew caressing the back of her hand with his thumb and shot him a loving glance, which he returned with the same intensity.

"The bar is still empty as today is Monday, but please, come with me. Our house is upstairs, I have some first aid material and you can clean your arm and hands there, Monica."

"Thank you, Rebecca."

There was a bartender serving the very few customers there and Ben, the owner of the establishment, wasn't there at the moment; Rebecca explained that he was at the bank, paying some bills. The woman took them upstairs and while she looked for some first aid material, both angels had their attention turned to Hanna, the little girl saved by an angel a few minutes before.

"Thank you, sweetheart..." Monica spoke, as the baby walked over up to her and gave her a tiny flower she picked on the vase placed on the floor. "She's just adorable..."

"Yes, Hanna is the light of our life..." her mother replied, placing a first aid kit on the table. Andrew immediately took some cotton and alcohol and started to clean Monica's delicate skin. "Yes... every child is a blessing, you know. I can see she brings much happiness to you and to your husband."

"She does!" the woman happily spoke, caressing the little girl's blond hair. "Do you have children?"

The angels looked at each other and smiled, "No, we... we don't..." Monica replied, now turning her eyes to the small child. Andrew was taking care of her light wounds but didn't miss the look in her eyes – a longing, wondering one. Even before they both confessed their feelings for each other, the blond angel knew that Monica wondered about how motherhood would feel. If she could wish something other than his love and being an angel of God, she would certainly ask to become a mother. Andrew knew better than any other living creature that she had a great, huge capacity to love, like he had never seen before. Being joined under the Father's blessing was a way to expand all that love but the Irish angel was a kind, warm hearted creature and it was far too clear that her loving capacity didn't have limits.

And neither had his love for her.

"I hope you can have one someday." Rebecca kept on talking, not missing the affectionate way Andrew was looking at the one who had just saved her little daughter.

"Thanks..." she replied, somewhat sadly; aware that it was nearly an impossible dream.

Andrew finished to take care of Monica's scratches a few minutes later. "There it is, job done, angel!" he then placed a kiss on her cheek.

They noticed that Rebecca smiled again and shook her head, "This is such a coincidence!"

"What is it?" the Irish angel asked, with a curious face.

"Well... There's a legend in the Mason family... About an angel named Andrew who watches over the members of the family for many generations. We even have a special chair in the bar in his honour." She told them, and both couldn't help glancing at each other with a look of complicity. "And, well, listening him calling you 'angel' and after all you did for my little girl..."

"Well... they say that there's no such thing as a coincidence, that we're exactly where we're supposed to be..." the blond angel replied, holding Monica's hand and caressing it with his thumb.

"Well, you're right, I guess. And I believe that the legend is true, after all, it makes you feel good to know that there are angels taking care of you!"

"I'm glad to hear it, Rebecca. You have a very beautiful family, a pretty baby daughter and a loving husband. These are precious blessings!" Monica spoke, she and Andrew standing up, ready to go.

"Thank you one more time, Monica... If there's something I could do for you, I'd love to..."

"No, you don't need to." Andrew politely objected, "The most important is that your baby and Monica are safe."

The two angels bid them goodbye and, with her baby daughter in her arms, the woman watched as they left the Sign of the Dove holding hands. Then, she walked around the bar, looking everything around it, and stopped near the chair reserved for Andrew, the angel, with a pensive look.

A few instants after they had left, the bar door opened again, "Rebecca!" It was Ben, her husband, and he had a haunted expression on his face. With his heart beating fast, he walked over to his wife and daughter, "Rebecca, you... you won't believe what I've just seen!"

"Oh, Ben... I'm so glad you're here..." she spoke, wrapping her free arm around his neck and holding him tight. Somewhat taken aback, he returned the embrace and frowned with concern, "What... what is it?"

"You won't believe what happened to me just a few minutes ago..."

She told him how their little daughter had been saved by a stranger who had risked her life and about the brief conversation with the couple who had just been at the bar. And, when she mentioned their names, Ben made the cross sign and bowed his head in respect. "Oh, God... thank You..."

"I'll offer a special prayer tonight too, Ben, thanking God for sending that lady and her husband to help me... You know, sometimes people can be angels too..."

The young man reached out and took his wife's hand, "Honey... That couple who just left the Sign of the Dove... they're two angels..."

"What?" her eyes were wide open as he said that, "That's... that's impossible, Ben, the lady got hurt and..."

"Rebecca... when we got married, I saw the same couple here... I even spoke to them without really knowing who they were, until Nicholas told me that Andrew was the same angel who had been following my family for generations... I saw him and Monica, the other angel, disappearing right here at this same room..." he spoke, his eyes filled with emotion.

"Oh, God... Are you sure?"

"We've been visited by angels today, Rebecca... think about how many people are visited by angels everyday; suddenly helped by a stranger that apparently comes from nowhere and then disappears as mysteriously... Fortunately, thanks to God, we've learned how to recognise them and the blessing that He is giving us..."

With tears rolling down her face, the woman squeezed little Hanna tightly, "She saved our daughter, Ben... She put herself in front of a car and saved our baby girl..."

He too held the little girl and kissed her little head, "And that means she too has an angel... an angel named Monica looks after our child..."

"Andrew and Monica... Two angels now take care of our family..." she spoke, with a happy and grateful face.

"Yes... And, as well as Andrew, she too deserves to be remembered here at the Sign of the Dove."

X

Hand in hand, Monica and Andrew walked along the street and even if they were happy for saving a little girl's life, there was still some pain and anguish lingering in their hearts for the tragedy that almost happened. They remained in silence for long minutes and only when Andrew wrapped his arm around her shoulders did Monica speak again, "I'm staying at the building over there," she pointed the building just around the corner, "Tess and I have been on this other assignment, you know, and I guess it'll take us some more time to finish it, although things seem to be going just fine!" the slight smile on her face sent some of his worry away, and he also smiled, "I'm sure you'll do as great as always, angel!" he spoke, and kissed her cheek.

"Where are you going now?" she asked, her heart filled with sadness for the impending separation.

"Well, to tell you the truth I haven't been told where I should go in the next hours..."

That piece of news was enough to cheer her up, "Oh, really? Oh well in that case I'll invite you to come in and have a cup of tea with me!"

"You will drink tea?" he raised his eyebrows with amusement and she blushed a little, 'Well... What if we do like this: you drink tea and I drink coffee?"

"How didn't I think about it before?" he joked, tapping his forehead and enjoying the sound of her giggling.

"I just hope Tess is not home," she spoke, in a low voice, as they approached the building, "She might not like it..."

Monica was going to say something else but suddenly, she stopped walking, feeling a strange sensation running through her human body: her face went pale, her temperature went down and her hands and arms became cold. She felt her head spinning and the ground slipping away from her feet.

"Monica?" Andrew called her, watching terrified as she closed her eyes and grabbed his arm for support. "Andrew... I'm... I'm not feeling well..."

"Monica? Angel, what is it? Talk to me, please?" he pleaded, wrapping his arm around her waist for support and cupping her face up.

"I'm... I'm not sure..." although she was conscious, her legs grew weak, "I... just need a few seconds..."

He remained there, supporting her and feeling his heart racing with apprehension and fear: the incident a few hours earlier was certainly causing that. "Let's go to a hospital, angel!"

"N-no... it's not necessary, Andrew... I want to go to the apartment..."

Quickly, even if against his will, he took her to inside the building and practically punched the elevator button in a hurry. They were soon in the apartment and, keeping a permanent arm around her waist, he opened the door.

"I'll carry you..." he took her in his arms and carried along the hall through the corridor, up to her bedroom.

"Andrew, I'm feeling better already..." she said, not missing the anguish and great worry in his eyes as he lay her in bed.

"No, angel. I'm sorry but I won't believe you're feeling better, you almost fainted..." he replied, taking her hand and checking her pulse and bruises on her arms.

"I felt bad for an instant... but then... then I got better..."

"You fell on the sidewalk when you saved that little girl... Did you hit your head or any bone?"

Monica shook her head, "No! I just scratched my arm and hands, that was all, Andrew, I swear!"

The blond angel sighed deeply, "Anyway, I'll call a doctor for you!"

She reached out and caressed his cheek, shooting him a tender look, "Andrew... I'm an angel!"

"... in human form! And you need to find out what happened to you just now..."

"I know what happened to me: I was nervous about the incident with wee Hanna; you know how I feel about children being in danger and when I think about what could've happened... When I remember that poor mother's cries, I..." her eyes were soon filled with tears and Andrew was moved to see how much other people's misfortunes affected her generous heart.

He pulled her for a warm embrace and tenderly ran his fingers through her hair, trying to calm her down, "I know, baby, I know... Please, don't cry. Everything turned out just fine and that little girl will live happily with her parents for long years, just because of you! You're always doing wonderful things for everyone who crosses your way..." he pulled away just a few inches to look at her and smiled, "... that's why I'm eternally grateful that the Father made you... And for me, angel, the fact that you exist is enough to make my existence a wonderful one!"

Happy to see a tearful smile on her face, he brushed a tiny kiss on her lips, "Are you sure you don't want me to call a doctor for you?"

"It's not necessary, Andrew, I'm feeling better already. And I should prepare your tea and..."

She motioned to get out of the bed but the blond angel immediately stopped her, "Oh, no, you're not going anywhere, Mrs!" he said, gently forcing her to lie down again, "I guess I know now why I don't have any assignment in the next few hours... I'll stay here and take care of you, my angel!" Andrew reached out to remove her sandals, not missing the opportunity to caress her small feet.

"Andrew..." Monica sighed deeply, feeling guilty for worrying him so much. But at the same time she felt happy to have her beloved Andrew right there with her.

"Shh... I don't want to hear a word about it. Since you don't want to see a doctor, you'll be my patient from now on and you'll have to obey my orders while I'm here!" he stated, with a mock serious face and causing her to giggle, "Yes, sir! I don't think I'd want another doctor other than you!"

"Good!" he stood up, "I'll prepare you something to eat."

"What about my mocha?"

He rolled his eyes and finally nodded, "Ok... I'll bring your mocha too!"

Andrew straightened the pillows against her back and was already leaving the bedroom when she spoke again, "Andrew?"

"Yes?"

"There's something more I'd like to ask..."

"What is it?" he was immediately attentive and with some concern in his green pools.

"A kiss!" she replied, amused when he narrowed his eyes and shot her another stern look, "You're quite a demanding patient!"

His heart melted at her cheerful smile and he pressed his lips against hers on the following second. And much to his surprise, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly, making that sweet kiss last longer.

"Thank you, mister!"

"You're always welcome, Mrs!" he kissed her lips one more time and left to the kitchen.

X

"Promise you won't make any effort?" Andrew asked his beloved Monica, later on, after she had changed into a warm pair of pyjamas and lay comfortably in his arms. Despite his best efforts, she ate very little and was feeling a bit tired, which led the blond angel to wonder about her human condition.

In the silence of their bedroom, lying in bed and enjoying the constant movement of Andrew's fingers running through her hair, she raised her head and gazed at him with a sleepy face, "Only if you promise you won't worry about me that much."

"That's impossible," he said with a hint of sadness in his eyes, "Especially after what happened today..."

"I guess I'm losing my practice as it's been a long time I left Search and Rescue to be a caseworker," she said, remembering the old times when she and Andrew didn't know each other yet.

He frowned with concern to think about the dangers that she had been exposed to. "I guess I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to see you putting yourself at risk every day..."

Noticing his distress, Monica raised a hand to caress his cheek and brushed a tiny kiss on his chin, "The Father was taking care of me all the time... for you, when we'd meet!"

The blond angel gazed at her and nodded, "I have no doubt about it. By that time, hardly did I now about the gift I was about to receive!" he tightened his hold on her and kissed her forehead, "I love you so much, angel, so much... Sometimes I... I feel like protecting you even from the wind so that I don't see you suffering."

"Oh, Andrew..." she was deeply moved with that statement and with the sorrow she could detect coming from his soul. "You know something? You're my heart, Andrew!"

With a tender smile, he bent his head just a tiny bit and pressed his lips against hers, "You're my heart too, baby. My everything."

Noticing the extra spark of love in her eyes, he took her hand and carefully kissed her bruised skin, "Now rest, my angel. I want to see you falling asleep her in my arms before I go."

"I'll... I'll do what you're asking me, even if I don't like it that much... Sleeping while you're here, I mean, as I'll be missing more minutes at your side."

Overwhelmed with tenderness, he kissed the tip of her nose, "You won't, baby, cause I'm always connected to your heart so that I can be in your dreams too, holding you tight like I'm doing right now!"

Her heart skipped a bit with so much love for that kind loving angel whom she trusted with her very existence. They shared a soulful kiss and Monica snuggled against his warm body, lulled by the gentle caresses he was performing in her hair. The shadowy atmosphere of the bedroom (Andrew had left the bedside lamp on) also helped and soon the Irish angel fell asleep in her eternal valentine's arms.

"Sleep well, my little angel. Have sweet dreams..." he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek afterwards.

X

Later at night, Tess returned to the apartment and the blond angel told her what had happened on that troubled day. The supervisor was equally worried to know the danger Monica had been exposed and lifted a prayer of thanks for the Irish angel's safety.

At about midnight, Andrew had to go back to work and before he left, he went up the angel's bedroom again. With his eyes sparkling with affection and a multitude of other loving feelings, he sat at the edge of her bed and watched her sleep for a few minutes, slightly caressing her auburn hair. "Father... I know I have no right to ask You anything else, as You've given me so much already... But... if you could grant me only one wish, I'd like to ask You to protect this angel... I know she's Your angel in the first place and You know what's best for her, but I cannot stop feeling that she's a bit mine too... And I guess You understand it... I love her so much..."

The loving answer came as a wave of peace and joy inside his heart – confirming that the sweet little angel who was now fast asleep right next to him was created not only to accomplish God's work but also to spend her eternity by his side. Feeling the presence of tears in the corner of his green pools, the blond angel brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and bent his head, kissing Monica's forehead with tenderness. "I love you, my angel. I love you forever."

On the following morning, now feeling a bit better, Monica woke up with the sun coming through her window. She was alone in her bedroom now, as her beloved Andrew was called on assignment some part of the world. The Irish angel sighed deeply, a bit sad with that inevitable separation. But as she turned to the side, Monica saw a red rose on the bedside table and a smile broke on her face – and remained there all day long.

X

A few days later...

"I'm always so happy when everything turns out just fine like this, Tess!" Monica spoke, she and the supervisor walking down the street, with a pleased expression on their faces to see one more assignment accomplished.

"You're right, baby; and it was high time Robert and Sarah realised that their family is the most important thing in the world!"

"You're right too. It's difficult to understand why human beings act selfishly even with their own family. I can't imagine myself away from you and Andrew, you're my family too, you know?"

The older angel wrapped her arm around Monica's shoulder, always touched with her loving nature. "Well, I cannot imagine you away from me either, angel girl! The Father gave me a daughter when He sent you to work with me!"

"Well, He gave me a mother when He sent me to work with you!"

Smiling, they rested their heads together and the supervisor added, "And I believe I don't have to say that Andrew feels just as blessed as I am!"

"I believe you're right, Tess!"

That sudden (and familiar) voice that came from behind them made Monica's heart jump and she turned around to face her beloved Andrew smiling at her, with his green pools sparkling to see the Irish angel again, "Andrew!" she wasted no time in rushing towards him, throwing herself in his already open arms. He held her tightly, lifting her off the ground a little and kissing her shoulder.

"I thought we wouldn't see each other so soon... I wanted to say goodbye that day but I slept..."

"Oh, my sweet angel girl... There was no need of goodbyes, honey, I knew I'd hold you in my arms again soon..." he placed her on the ground and brushed a tiny kiss on her lips.

She reached up to caress his handsome face, "I'm so happy you're here."

"Our angel girl seems to glow every time you're around, baby!" Tess spoke, equally happy to see her angel babies together again.

"Hey, Tess!" he kissed her cheek and then looked at Monica again, with fascinated eyes, "You're right about the glow... she's absolutely gorgeous!"

The Irish angel lowered her head, with a shy smile playing on her lips, "You're both making me blush here..."

"What we're saying is nothing but the truth!" her dear husband replied, and then kissed the back of her hand, noticing that the scratches on her soft skin were disappearing, "How are you feeling, angel?"

"I've never been so well, for your information!" there was a teasing tone in her voice and he turned to face the supervisor, "Tess, is she eating? The last time we saw she didn't want to..."

"Hum... You know that angel of yours, don't you? Sometimes she doesn't want to and sometimes she eats just as if all the food in the world would end!" Tess replied, with a stern look in her eyes, "But she's doing quite well, you know. She doesn't look like the pale little angel I saw two days ago!"

Andrew gazed at Monica again from head to toe and smiled – she'd never been so pretty; once again with that sudden and unexplainable emotion that filled his heart whenever he looked at her. He didn't know exactly why he felt that way, but assumed that it was because his love for her was constantly growing and certainly had no ending. "No, she doesn't. I wonder how humans don't realise she's an angel when they first see her!"

Still blushing, Monica crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at them with her eyebrows raised, "I'll stay here watching you two talking about me as if I wasn't here until you both realise that I'm here and that I'm perfectly fine!"

"Thank God you are, baby!" Andrew kissed her cheek and then turned to oldest angel, "Tess, would you mind if I stole your charge for a few hours? There's a place I'd like her to visit..."

The supervisor rolled her eyes and sighed, "Only if you promise me you won't disappear with her like you did on the Valentine's day. Remember we'll have another assignment soon!"

"You have my word!"

"Where are we going?" Monica wanted to know, as he held her hand and kissed it.

"To The Sign of the Dove... I have a little surprise for you!"

X

The Sign of the Dove was empty and some soft light illuminated the place. In the middle of the hall, there was a table set for two people and a candle light dinner waited to be savoured.

Suddenly, two heavenly beings appeared on the same hall, and one of them had her eyes covered by Andrew's hands. "Andrew... can I see it now?" an amused Monica spoke, eager to see what surprise was that.

"You're such a curious little angel!" he spoke, standing behind her also having fun with her impatience.

"You said that you'd take me to the Sign of the Dove, and I'm under the impression that we're already there!"

"Okay, I'll let you see now..." he removed his hands from her eyes and kissed her cheek lovingly. Monica looked around her, immediately recognising the place they had been to 2 days before. Then, she turned her eyes to the beautiful table set in front of them and realised they were the only living creatures in that hall.

"Andrew..." she whispered, moved and surprised.

Smiling, the blond angel wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, "I love dating you, angel!" he spoke, kissing her cheek one more time.

"Oh, Andrew... I love dating you too, you know..." the Irish angel replied, turning her head to face him, smiling and enjoying the feeling of being in his arms, "But where are the other people? Where are Rebecca and Ben?"

"Away on a date too. They left little Hanna with Rebecca's mother. And the other customers have gone too!"

"So this is only for us?"

"Yes!" he led her up to the table and pulled a chair for her. But before she could sit down, he pointed the inscription on the chair, which said: "In honour to Monica, the angel."

The Irish angel looked at him with a surprised face, "Yes, baby. Now there are two angels protecting the Mason family. Our names will be together in this place here on Earth as well as it is in Heaven." He explained, holding her two hands and kissing them.

She gazed at him lovingly, "And either on Earth or in Heaven, that's exactly where I'll always be, Andrew: by your side."

Smiling, he brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead and cupped her chin up, looking deep inside her brown depths, hypnotised by the love he could see reflected in her eyes. "Oh, but there's another place where you'll always be, my little angel..." he then took her hand and placed it against his heart, "... right here..."

"I love you so much..." she whispered, a few seconds before his lips touched hers, firmly and delicately at the same time. He wrapped his arm around her waist and lay his hand on the back of her head; entangling his fingers in her auburn hair. Their kiss was sweet and slow and Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, treasuring every sweet caress he offered her.

Only a long minute later did their kiss break and Andrew smiled at her, "Dinner is getting cold..." he said, playfully rubbing his nose on hers.

"Hum... I had forgotten about the food, you know..." she spoke, blushing at her own oblivion. He kissed the tip of her nose, "C'mon, take your seat, 'Monica, the angel'!"

He pulled a chair for her and she politely thanked him, "That's very kind of you, Mr Andrew, the angel!"

He kissed the top of her head and took the other chair, which had his name written on it.

The two heavenly beings enjoyed a romantic dinner. In between loving glances and words, they finished eating and suddenly low, soft music started to play. The blond angel stood up and reached out his hand for her to join him. After kissing the back of her hand, he placed his right arm around her waist, took her right hand into his left one and brought her human body slowly against his. Smiling and never breaking the eye contact, she placed her free hand on his shoulder and during the next few minutes, they swayed together smoothly and beautifully, as they always did when they danced.

Her innocence and sweetness always amazed him; he liked the softness of her delicate skin, her cheek against his. He was just inches away from the nape of her neck, and was intoxicated with her sweet perfume. Monica, for herself, felt like melting under his touch, enjoying the love, peace and comfort only Andrew could bring to her; being in his arms meant being the safest place on earth, and she always marvelled at the wave of tenderness and love she could feel invading her heart whenever they were together.

Both angels danced for long, wonderful moments, enjoying the romantic atmosphere of the place, which would be part of Monica's existence, as well as Andrew's. At a certain point, he planted a kiss on her temple and whispered softly into her ear, "I think it's time to go..."

"Yes..."

Slowly, the couple started to fade and they finally disappeared from the Sign of the Dove.

To be continued


	22. Sweet Easter!

Angel of Mine Series Episode 22: Sweet Easter! 

An amused Andrew walked along the park on that beautiful and sunny Sunday, and watched with happiness as children and their families happily celebrated Easter, most of them by conducting exciting eggs hunt along the green and flowered fields. In his hands, the blond angel carried 4 small notes, written with a familiar handwriting, and walked towards the phone booth, where he found another paper.

Chuckling, he read the instructions on it and followed the path ahead of him, clearly looking for someone. A small wooden bridge crossed the pond in the middle of the park and after he passed by it, Andrew turned left and then went straight for a couple of minutes, until he could see a huge old willow not far from him. He kept on walking, feeling a wave of joy washing the depths of his soul every little step he gave.

The little angel watched, from under the shadow of the old tree, as a group of children searched for coloured eggs amongst the bushes and trees, hearing their excited laughter filtering through the air. Nature was generous with them too – flowers bloomed everywhere, colouring the day that would be part of many families happy memories. A smile played on her lips every time she contemplated the beautiful senario around her and only a funny sensation of hunger made her turn her eyes from the children to the big clock on the church tower, next to the park entrance. Sighing deeply, Monica now looked at the beautiful package she had been holding in her lap for the last 10 minutes. A small basket, wrapped in a beautiful brilliant paper, with lots of painted chocolate eggs would be a great way of surprising Andrew and wishing him a happy Easter, but looking at them made her feel an uncontrollable wish to eat chocolate.

"... Andrew, where are you?" she murmured, impatiently looking at the clock one more time. But she was so hungry that she couldn't resist and opened the package to steal a small chocolate egg from the basket.

A few minutes later, when Monica was already eating the third little egg, she heard someone clearing his throat right in front of her and raised her head to see an amused Andrew staring at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Andrew..."

"Somehow I'm under the impression that these chocolate eggs you're eating belong to me!" he spoke, crossing his arms in front of his chest and watching as she blushed deeply.

"Oh... well... I'm... In fact, they erm... they are the prize for the angel who could find all the clues I've spread around the park and... well... I can see you found them all so yes, they do belong to you, you know..."

She looked so incredibly adorable to him that the blond angel felt like holding her tightly and kissing her a million times at that very moment. "Hum... I see... And what are they doing inside your mouth, may I ask?"

She bit her lower lip, even more ashamed (although she was also trying to hide a shy smile), "I'm... I'm sorry, Andrew. I was waiting for you here, watching the children play but then suddenly I had an unexpected wish to eat chocolate, you know... And as you were taking too long to arrive, I thought you wouldn't mind if I ate a tiny bit of your prize..."

Laughing, he came closer and sat down right next to her, giving her a small bouquet of wild flowers. As she grabbed it in her hands, he gently caressed her cheek, drinking the beauty in her meek features, "You know what? It's okay, angel... Now they taste even better!"

Feeling her heart beating faster with anticipation, she closed her eyes at the moment he bent his head. A second later, Monica felt his lips brushing against hers, in a loving, affectionate kiss. Andrew wrapped his arm around her small waist, bringing her closer and started to run his fingers through her auburn hair, savouring the sweet taste of her mouth, now even sweeter due to the chocolate she'd been eating. The Irish angel cupped his handsome face with her small hand, caressing it with tenderness, her soft touch making him fall in love all over again.

Only when air became an issue, did that loving kiss transform into tiny ones and Monica couldn't help but giggling, "The prize was supposed to be just a basket with chocolate eggs, you know..."

"Well, I'd give up all the chocolate in the world just to have one more of these..." he spoke, placing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

Blushing deeply, she lowered her head just for a brief second, "Well, you don't have to... although you'll certainly have less chocolate than you were supposed to!"

He let out a small laugher and, cupping her face with his hand, he kissed her lips again, "It's alright, angel... it's you who make my existence sweeter with your presence, with your love..."

"The same goes to you... Happy Easter, Andrew!" she said, leaning on his touch and covering his hand with her own.

"Happy Easter, sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too!" smiling, the Irish angel grabbed his face with both hands and kissed his lips, cheeks and the tip of his nose many times, and held him tightly afterwards, making him laugh once again.

"Oh, my angel girl... You're my world..." he returned her hug with the same intensity, burying his face in her shoulder and inhaling her sweet perfume.

X 

Together, the two angels remained by the shadow of the tree, enjoying each other's company and watching as the children played together, searching for chocolate eggs.

"They're sure having a lot of fun!" Andrew spoke, permanently running his fingers through Monica's auburn hair.

The Irish angel was now lying on this same bench and had pillowed her head over his leg, sighing deeply with happiness. "Yes... And I saw it when most of them left the church next to the park, after the morning service, you know. I'm sure they know the true meaning of Easter, even if they're here now, playing and hunting eggs... I know a seed has been planted inside their little hearts..." she said, with a pleased expression on her face.

"You know... it's on days like these that I'm quite sure the Father is watching His children and smiling..."

"I'm sure He is... I wish all days could be like this one... I wish that this little lesson those children learned today remains in their hearts and that they live their lives according to it."

Andrew bent his head to look at her face and tenderly caressed her cheek, "You can pray for this to happen, angel."

"I do... Everyday I dream of a day when humans will know the true meaning of Easter, Andrew."

"And as I know you're a dreamer – a beautiful dreamer, I'd say, I can tell you'll keep on praying until you see your dream come true!"

She moved her head to face him and a broad smile appeared on her face, "I will!"

"So will I, baby. So will I..."

Andrew bent his head and brushed a loving kiss on her lips, never stopping his caresses in her hair and holding one of her hands, placing it against his heart.

Both angels remained there for a little while, lifting their prayers for that beautiful day, for the future of those children – and all the other ones, and also offering a prayer to thank for their love, which was constantly growing in their hearts.

To be continued.


	23. Signs

Angel of Mine Series 

Episode 23: Signs

The warm sunrays crossed the bluest of the skies and were shining through the huge green trees up in the mountains. In the deserted forest, covered with beautiful wild flowers and vivid vegetation, there was one single cabin, a cosy home inhabited not by human beings but by angels who would use it once in a while, during their free time. But at that very moment, it was empty, although a few excited giggles could be heard not far from there.

"Andrew, this is not fair! You're way too much taller than me!"

"That's not an excuse, angel! If you want to learn how to play soccer you have to find a way to steal the soccer ball from me!"

Monica and Andrew were evidently having great fun while the blond angel tried to teach his beloved angel girl to play soccer. There was nothing in the world he could deny her, that was for sure, but when she asked him to teach her that "funny game", he remembered the day when he tried to teach her how to play football and wondered if her performance at the new game would be as "successful" as the other one.

"It's impossible with you blocking me!" she replied, grabbing him by the T-shirt while he controlled the soccer ball with his foot.

"This is part of the game, Mrs! And for your information, you're breaking a rule here by grabbing my shirt!"

Monica placed her hands on her hips and stared at him, "Oh, really?"

"Really! And that's a very serious fault!"

"Alright..." for a moment, she remained still.

"What's the matter? Did you give up fighting already?" he teased her.

"Well..." suddenly, the Irish angel took him off guard and grabbed the soccer ball in her both hands and started to run away, leaving an astonished (and highly amused) Andrew behind.

"Hey!"

He was soon running after her, purposefully giving her some advantage so that he could hear her excited giggles echoing in the flowered field they were now in. The gentle wind that was blowing on their faces disarrayed her auburn hair and made her long blue dress fly up in the air, an angelic vision that would always make his heart skip a beat with so much love.

Suddenly, Monica felt a pair of strong arms grabbing her by the waist and Andrew carefully made her stumble on the ground and then pulled her to sit right on his lap, still holding her, laughing at her own laughter. "You are such a cheating little angel!"

"Oh, you... you deserved it!" she replied, with a broad smile on her face, "... it was not fair what you were doing!"

"Oh, really? I'm gonna give you something you deserve too, Mrs!"

When his fingers started to tickle her belly, Monica let out a squeal and melted into giggles, forgetting about the soccer ball she had stolen from him and unsuccessfully trying to escape from his embrace. Only when he saw the tears in her eyes and how red her face was, did Andrew stop tickling her.

Still laughing and trying to catch some air, the Irish angel finally relaxed in his arms, while he gently caressed her hair, trying to calm her down. As the laughing subsided a bit, Monica felt herself being pulled back into Andrew's embrace and she let out a sigh of contentment as she felt his arms around her. They both lay on the soft green grass and she wrapped her own arms around him and leaned into him, her head resting up against his chest.

"My cheating little angel girl... You're the prettiest and most adorable little angel in all heaven, you know that?" He whispered into her ear as he stroked her auburn hair.

Smiling at him, she gave him a squeeze as she replied, "Thank you… Except for the cheating part!"

He couldn't help chuckling at her mock indignation, and kissed her forehead lovingly, "Wanna go up to the lake?"

"Yes! It's been such a long time since I last visited it, you know. I definitely have to take this day off to go there..." he watched with amusement as her eyes grew wide with an idea, "Oh, maybe we could do a picnic there, Andrew!"

Unable to hold back another chuckle, the blond angel nodded his head, "I'll tell you what: we'll go back to the cabin and prepare a basket with food and something for us to drink, and then we can spend the afternoon by the lake, what do you think?"

With a broad smile on her face, she inched a bit closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "I think I love you!"

"Well, thank you!" he replied, bending his head to kiss her lips softly. Then, he finally pulled away and helped his beloved Monica back to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "So... Let's have hot chocolate for drink, right?"

The Irish angel eyed him with indignation: he was obviously teasing her and she was going to say something when suddenly she stopped walking, feeling her head spinning and the ground slipping away from her bare feet. "Oh... Andrew..."

"Monica? What is it?" he spoke, his heart racing to see the colour disappearing from her face.

"Andrew... I'm..."

The sentence died in her mouth as her vision blurred and her legs grew weaker. Hadn't Andrew wrapped a supportive arm around her waist, she would've hit the ground at that very moment. "Monica! Monica, angel talk to me!" he shouted, as she fainted in his arms. Carefully, he lay her on the ground and placed her back against his leg for support, and held her head close to his chest, "Monica! Angel, please, answer to me!"

His callings became more and more desperate when she didn't reply to him and the last couple of minutes seemed like a whole eternity. "Angel, please, come back to me... answer to me..." he caressed her cold cheek with a trembling hand and she finally moved her head. "Monica? Angel, talk to me, please!"

Slowly, her eyes flickered open and she looked at him rather confused, "Andrew?"

Her voice was a mere whisper but it brought him some relief after moments of panic, "Monica? Talk to me, angel! What are you feeling?"

"I'm... confused..."

He took her hand and squeezed it against his face, "You're so cold, baby..."

"What... happened?"

"You fainted, angel, you fainted here in my arms..." Andrew was looking for any sign of injuries or any other symptoms that could tell him what the problem was, but he knew she hadn't reached the floor or got hurt. Then, what had caused that?

"I... I feel a wee bit dizzy..."

"I'll take you to a hospital, Monica, I'll..."

"No... please, take me to the cabin, Andrew..."

"But Monica, you've just fainted here, something is wrong with you and..."

"I'm... I'm going to a hospital... but... not... not now, I can't handle a trip to the town..."

Andrew pondered about her arguments: in fact, they were up in the mountains and the nearest town was 2 hours distant from the cabin. It would be risky taking her to a hospital as she wasn't feeling alright yet. She could faint again along the way.

"... please, take me to the cabin? Please?"

Sighing deeply, he nodded his head, "It's alright, angel. I'll take you back to the cabin..." Gently, the blond angel passed his hand under her knees and back and held her in his arms. He kissed her forehead and carried his beloved Monica back to the cabin, where they were spending their day off.

X 

The blond angel deposited Monica in their bed a few minutes later and straightened the pillows under her head. Then, he sat by the edge of the bed and took her hand, "Comfortable now?"

"Yes... thank you..." she didn't miss the distress and anguish on his face and felt sorry and a bit guilty for scaring him that way.

"Angel... I need you to tell me something... but be honest with me, ok?"

"What is it?"

"When we were out there... did I... did I hurt you?"

Her eyes grew wide with shock at how absurd that question was and she immediately shook her head, "Oh, no! Of course not, Andrew! You'd never ever hurt me, what gave you this idea?"

"I might've hurt you but not intentionally... I..."

"No!" she motioned to sit down in bed and he tried to stop her, "Please, Monica, calm down..."

"No, please, let me hold you... please?"

He couldn't resist to her crying voice and helped her to sit up straight, then the blond angel involved his dearest Monica in his arms, holding her tightly and feeling the presence of tears in the corner of his eyes, "Oh, my angel..."

"I love you so much, Andrew... So much that it makes me cry with so much joy..."

The only thing that stopped Andrew from holding her tighter was the fear of hurting her, but the blond angel couldn't help shedding a tear to hearing her words. "Baby, I... I can't imagine losing you... the mere thought of seeing you hurting is... unbearable..."

"But don't think you caused it, because you didn't!" she pulled away and caressed his hair, "The only things you're responsible for are my laugher and these growing love and happiness I carry in my heart."

A shy smile finally appeared on his handsome face, "You're so precious to me, angel... so very precious..."

Monica could see her image reflected in his green pools, along with his endless love, and it was so intense that she felt a wave of joy bathing her very soul. "So are you to me, Andrew."

He brushed a tiny but tender kiss on her lips and motioned for her to lie down, "Please, baby, I want you to rest a little."

She nodded her head and lay down in their bed; the blond angel covered her small form with a warm blanket and then started to run his fingers through her auburn hair, "Maybe I should take you Home... You have been in human form for a long time and I'm sure you have some human disease; whatever it is, it'll go away at the moment you get there..."

"I... I don't want to go Home now... You'd have to stay here on Earth and far from me..." there were fresh tears in the corner of her eyes as she said that.

"No, baby, I won't stay away from you, never! If... if you don't want to go Home you're going to a hospital, ok?"

"Yes..."

"I'll also call Tess tomorrow to be with you."

A slight smile appeared on her face as she remembered her dear friend and supervisor, "Tess... I miss her..."

"Then don't you worry, cause all the ones you love will be right here with you. Now rest, angel. I want to you to sleep a little while I prepare dinner."

"It's okay..."

Andrew lay another tiny kiss on her lips and waited until she fell asleep, the traces of exhaustion still visible on her pale face. Then, with a permanent worried expression, he headed to the kitchen.

X 

Later at night, after a warm shower, Monica changed into a pair of comfortable flannel pyjamas and, once she was settled in her bed again, Andrew brought her a tray with a delicious meal. And much to his surprise, the Irish angel practically devoured the food in front of her. "I'm suddenly so hungry, you know... Maybe that's why I fainted, maybe I didn't eat enough at lunch!" she said, with a pleased smile on her face, which was also a bit dirty with plum and with a milk moustache. Her visible and quick recovery was certainly a relief to his troubled heart, but Andrew couldn't help wondering what had caused her to faint a few hours earlier. Whatever it was, he was decided to find out and would certainly do anything to see her healing.

With marvelled eyes, he watched her eating, finding her extremely cute and adorable; dazzled with the childlike gestures that had always made his heart skip a beat with so much love. "Well, although I can see that you're definitely much better now, I should remind you that you ate quite a lot during lunch too, angel. I don't think that what happened to you this afternoon has something to do with food..." he placed a strand of hair behind her ear and softly caressed her cheek, "... and we have to find out what's causing this..."

"I promise I'll go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Good. Now finish your dinner, _Mrs_!"

"I think I've finished!" she replied, and Andrew saw, with a surprised expression on his face, that in fact, she had eaten everything he'd prepared her.

"Well... I guess female angels can be really intriguing sometimes!" he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, the Father never ceases to amaze me either, Andrew! I have... a wee bit of difficulties preparing food, so He created you and gave you the talent to cook well..." she inched closer as if to tell him a secret and concluded, "... and then He gave you to me!"

Chuckling, the blond angel contemplated her meek face for a few instants, enchanted with her usual cheerfulness and with her beautiful features, and the fact that it was also dirty with fruit and milk only made her even more adorable to him. "My sweet little angel... I love you..." he lay both hands against her cheeks and crossed the small distance between them, kissing her lips softly and tenderly, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth, accentuated by the savour of the fruits she'd just eaten.

"That's the best way to make me heal, ya know?" Monica spoke, as they parted, their foreheads resting together.

"What if I tell you that I'll keep on doing this even after you heal, huh?"

Giggling, she placed a tiny kiss on his lips and tenderly caressed his face, "Well, then I'll say I'm the most blessed angel in all universe!"

Enjoying the sound of her giggles and happy to see her smiling face, Andrew took her hand and kissed it, "And what if I tell you you're wrong, cause the most blessed in all universe is me because I have you?"

Still giggling, Monica couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and cover his face with lots of tiny kisses, "I love you!"

X 

After the Irish angel had eaten the delicious dinner Andrew had prepared, she snuggled against him, and the smile that was still playing on her lips seemed to put his heart at ease – whatever she had felt early in the afternoon had to be treated, that was for sure, but no one could deny she was a lot better now. It was past 10 PM and the blond angel was lying in bed with his arms wrapped around the sweetest creature he could ever dream of. He noticed that she had fallen asleep lulled by his gentle caresses and, very carefully, he tilted his head to kiss her hair, while rubbing soothing circles on her back.

A slight shadow was still haunting his very soul, filling his heart with great fear and apprehension wherever he remembered the incident early in the afternoon and the long painful minutes she had remained unconsciously lying in his arms. His hand stilled as he hugged her closer, suddenly feeling fiercely protective, fearing even the slightest thought of seeing her hurt. Andrew spent the last couple of hours just watching her sleep, drinking the mix of beauty and meekness he could see written on her face. But he was also in human form and, beaten by exhaustion brought by the events of the day, he also ended up falling asleep.

Little did he know it was far from being a calm night.

"...no! Andrew! Come back, please! Don't go!" Despite the fact that she was still asleep, Monica started to shout, moving her head from one side to another, lost in the middle of what seemed to be a terrible nightmare. "Please, be careful! Please... be careful!"

For a few hours, Andrew had been fast asleep by her side, with his arm across her midsection like a loving embrace, and her desperate callings soon woke him up. Alert, the blond angel immediately turned on the lamp on the bedside table and cupped her cheek with one hand, gently steadying her face, "Angel? Baby, wake up!"

"Andrew! Please, don't go!" she spoke, in a crying, anguished voice, and he could see that tears were falling from her still shut eyes. "Please... I need you so much!"

Feeling extremely sorry for his beloved angel, Andrew took her hand and squeezed it tightly, moving his other hand from her face to her shoulder, gently shaking her, "Monica! Angel, wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

"... please, don't go... don't go..." she continued to mutter, now in a lower voice. But Andrew's soothing words, his gentle touch against her face and his loving presence alone made her come back slowly, putting an end to that terrible dream. "Shh, angel... I'm here, I'm not going anywhere..." he said, and finally her eyes flickered open.

"Andrew?" although confusion clouded over her face, she clearly remembered the nightmare and immediately sat down in bed to hold him tightly, breaking into tears over his shoulder.

"Calm down, angel! Shh... it was just a bad dream! It's over now!" he started to run his fingers through her hair and returned the tight hug, trying desperately to put her troubled heart at ease. "Just a bad dream, baby! I'm right here with you, I'm not going anywhere!"

"You were suddenly away! I called you but... but you didn't answer to me... there... there was fire and water and... and then everything became dark..." the anguished sobs were far from subsiding and he pulled away just a few inches to look at her face – there was a mix of pain, agony and utter fear there.

"Baby, try to calm down, please! It was just a dream! I was here all the time, trying to wake you up!"

Shaking her head, blind by the tears that pricked her eyes, she insisted, "No, it was too real! It was so awful, so..."

Then something interrupted her and Monica quickly pulled away from his embrace. She covered her mouth and placed her hand over her stomach, feeling a terrible sensation of sickness running inside her body.

"Monica? Angel?"

Weakly, the Irish angel climbed off their bed and ran towards the bathroom, followed by a desperate Andrew, who wrapped a supportive arm around her waist when she started to throw up in the sink. Terrified, imagining that she'd got worse in the last few hours, he wiped at her forehead and neck with a cloth and when she was finally over he carried her back to the bed.

"Come, baby... lie down a little... I... I'll try to get a doctor and bring him here!"

"No!" her pleading voice broke his heart: on one side, he wanted to go and get some help, but on the other, how could he leave her all alone in the cabin?

Desperate, praying that she would get better or for some kind of help, he gathered her in his arms and kissed her head repeatedly, "Angel... I can't bear to see you suffering like this... Father, please help her!"

They spent the rest of the night wrapped in each other's embrace. Andrew's constant prayers were the only words heard in the silence of the night. Little by little, Monica's sickness started to subside and slowly, the angel fell asleep again.

To be continued


	24. Don't take your love away from me

Angel of mine Series Episode 24: Don't take your love away from me 

It was past 9 in the morning when Andrew heard the noise of Tess' car parked outside the cabin. Lifting a prayer of thanks, the blond angel carefully disentangled from Monica's embrace and left their bedroom. Although she had been sleeping quietly for the last few hours, he was terrified with the possibility of having to transfer her to a hospital and with the diagnosis for her sudden disease.

"Tess..." he said, as the supervisor entered through that door, and anyone could tell by the expression on his face that it'd been a difficult night.

"Angel boy... I knew there was something wrong at the moment I received the call to meet you here... What happened? Where's Monica?"

Sighing deeply, he ran his fingers through his blond hair, "She's sleeping now but the truth is that she's not ok, Tess. She... fainted in my arms when we were outside and this night she woke up with a nightmare and got so sick that I spent like 10 minutes in the bathroom, holding her while she was throwing up."

Tess frowned with deep worry to hearing that, "Oh, dear Father! We do need to do something, that poor baby must've caught some human disease, we have to find that out!"

"I suggested her going Home but, as she knows I have to stay here on Earth for a while working on this assignment, she refuses saying that she doesn't want to stay away from me..." he sighed deeply with exhaustion, "... and... for the last couple of hours I've been requested to go back there though I... I just can't leave her here, Tess..."

The oldest angel nodded her head, "I know you've been requested and that you don't want to leave her, but I'm here now, Andrew... I was told that you needed me, you both needed me here and you know how much I love that angel girl lying there... She's the closest thing to a daughter to me..."

"I know... and I feel terrible for disobeying the Father like that..."

"No, angel boy... He knows how much you love Monica, baby, and He can see the anguish inside your heart. But you're also a God's servant and have your responsibilities..."

Feeling the presence of tears in the corner of his eyes, he lowered his head for a moment, trying to find the strength to fulfil his assignment. Then, he faced the supervisor again, all his pain visible in the anguished expression on his face, "Please, take care of her for me, Tess?"

"That's what I've been doing all this time, until the day I myself made you two meet each other..."

A slight, bittersweet smile appeared on his handsome face as that day came back to his memory, and unable to say much, Andrew held the older angel tightly. "Thank you..."

In the silence of their bedroom, Monica slept quietly now, exhausted by the events of that troubled night. In silence, Andrew tiptoed up to the bed and sat down at its edge, the traces of his own exhaustion also visible in the expression on his face. Very carefully, he reached out and tugged some strands of hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek with tenderness.

"... angel... only God knows how I wish to stay close to you right now..." he whispered, his voice almost inaudible to his own ears. A sad tear rolled down his handsome face as he held her hand. "... I know you understand... I know you want me to do my work as a God's servant... but all this time, be sure you'll be in my thoughts, as you've always been, ok?" he kissed the back of her hand, "I promise I'll be back soon, baby... Tess will take good care of you meanwhile."

He leaned over and brushed a loving kiss on her forehead, and the light contact with Monica's skin made it even more difficult to leave the cabin. "I love you, Monica... You're my heart..." He also kissed the back of her hand and reluctantly stood up from the bed. After some brief moments contemplating her sleeping image, the blond angel finally left the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind him.

X

Monica woke up some hours later, still not feeling completely recovered, yet, feeling a lot better. Sensing Andrew's absence inside the cabin, and therefore an inch of sadness inside her heart, she tentatively sat down in bed, and was preparing to stand up when Tess came through the door.

"Angel girl, where do you think you're going all alone?"

Finally a smile appeared on her pale face, "Tess... I didn't know you were here..."

The older angel walked up to the bed and sat down beside her, "Well, did you think Andrew would leave you here all alone?"

"Oh... no, I know he wouldn't... but I also know he had an assignment to fulfil..."

"Yes, and as you were not feeling well I came here to take care of you! How are you, baby?"

The Irish angel sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "Well... I... I'm feeling a wee bit better now, you know..."

"Angel boy told me what happened here during the night... Baby, you have to go back Home to..."

"Oh, no... please, Tess, don't make me! Andrew is here, I know he's been on this assignment at the hospital and it'll take him some time to finish it... I don't want to stay away from him!" she said, with a pleading tone in her voice. Feeling sorry for her dearest friend, Tess nodded her head, "I understand it, baby. But, then I'll take you to a hospital! You sure must have some human disease, as you've been in human form for a long time."

"Yes... probably... But erm... Can we go later? I'm kind of hungry now, you know..."

Tess raised her eyebrows with some surprise, "Well, it's good to hear it! I prepared you something, but I thought you wouldn't want to eat it..."

"Oh, I do! And I'm sure it's delicious!"

Tess rolled her eyes and stood up, "Come on then, I'll help you."

The Irish angel took her proffered hand and got up from her bed, happy to have her dear friend with her.

X 

Monica ate not only the lunch that Tess had prepared her but the leftovers of a dessert that was in the fridge, prepared by her beloved Andrew a day before. The two angels were sitting at the table in the kitchen and, while she ate, the supervisor looked at her with an intrigued expression, "... I don't know what's come over you, baby, but it sure didn't affect your appetite!"

The youngest angel sighed, "I know it's strange... I've been feeling this way for a while, you know. Some days it seems everything is normal and that I'm recovered, but then, when I least expect it, I keep having weird sensations like dizziness and sickness... Sometimes they go away fast and then I don't say anything to Andrew... I know he is deeply worried."

"Well, he's right in being worried, baby. We have to find out what kind of illness this is and a way to heal it as soon as possible. I saw the expression on angel boy's face, he was deeply scared, and to be honest, so am I!"

Feeling somewhat guilty, Monica stopped eating and took the supervisor's hand, "I'm sorry to make you both worry so much... I've been praying, you know... I've asked the Father to show me what to do in order to heal... The truth is that... I'm afraid too, Tess. I'm scared because I don't know what's causing this..."

Suddenly, they heard another voice from behind them, "And the Father heard your prayers..."

Both angels turned to see Gabriel, the angel of annunciation, standing by the entrance door. He had a warm smile on his face and gazed at youngest angel with admired eyes.

"Gabriel... what happened? What are you doing here?" Tess wanted to know, she and Monica not understanding the reason for his presence. He gave a few steps forward and stopped right in front of the Irish angel.

"I have to confess that I'm very happy to be here, Tess. Monica, I was sent here with a special assignment... A miracle has happened." The angel announced, with a solemn and happy expression on his face.

"A miracle?"

"Yes. Never has this happened before... but I'm happy it did now and I'm happy to be the one to announce it..." Gabriel's smile became wider and he looked at the supervisor, and then back at Monica, "...You carry a little child inside you, Monica."

Monica's face drained of colour and she squeezed Tess's hand assuring herself that it wasn't another dream, and the old supervisor returned the squeeze, also not believing in what she had just heard. "Wh-what did you say, Gabriel?" her voice was weak, almost a whisper.

"You are pregnant. The Father is giving you this gift... this present you've dreamed of for so long but never voiced, never dared to ask for it..."

"A baby... I… I'm going to have a little baby?" Monica felt her entire body trembling with a mix of nervousness, excitement, fear and a multitude of loving feelings.

The angel of annunciation gave a step closer and caressed Monica's hair, "Yes… a baby. I know you thought it wasn't possible, but I'm happy to tell you you were wrong," he said gently, still smiling.

With tears falling from her eyes and rolling freely down her cheeks, she remained still, her brown pools fixed in an invisible point right ahead of her – now everything made sense: the dizziness, the sickness, the sudden appetite and the wish to eat chocolate a few weeks earlier. Then, she seemed to regain consciousness and nodded her head enthusiastically. "So it's true!" she exclaimed, with a trembling voice combined with small sobs, "A little baby... Our little baby..."

How she wanted Andrew was there to hear it too. What would he think when she told him? How would he react? Considering the great affection the blond angel had for children it wasn't difficult to guess what his reaction would be. Sobbing and crying with happiness, she looked at her dear friend and supervisor, the one she loved as a mother, and smiled, "Tess... I'm going to have a little baby! A baby, Tess!"

"Yes, angel girl, I've heard it! A little miracle of God now rests in here!" the oldest angel spoke, pointing to Monica's still flat belly and also crying with emotion, happy to see the joy written on her charge's face.

"A miracle... Yes... it can only be a miracle, right?" she spoke, already caressing her belly with the tenderness and affection of a mother. "Oh, Father, thank You! Thank you so much for this blessing!"

"Yes. A miracle, a gift from God because you and Andrew deserved this gift!"

"I need to see Andrew, he... oh, my goodness, he has no idea what's happening! Poor him, Tess, he thinks I have some serious disease!" Monica spoke, suddenly standing up and hardly controlling her excitement.

"Yes, now that we know what's causing the dizziness and the sickness, I'm sure angel boy will be not thrilled with the good news but also relieved to know there's nothing wrong with you! I will..."

The supervisor stopped talking at the moment she and the others realised there was another angel in the room: Adam was standing by the door and from the expression on his face, one could see there was something wrong.

"Adam?"

"Tess... Gabriel..." he spoke, not managing to look at Monica.

"You here? What happened?" Tess wanted to know, frowning with concern.

He lowered his head, trying to find the right words. "I... I'm afraid I have some bad news to give you all... I'm terribly sorry..."

"Well, what is it? Tell us, please, we have an emergency here!" Tess urged, impatiently.

"Well... there was... a fire at the hospital where Andrew was working..." he started, and when she heard Andrew's name, Monica's heart started to beat faster, all her previous joy was replaced by a terrible feeling, "Andrew? What... what happened then, Adam? What happened to those people? What happened to Andrew?"

The angel of death placed his hand over her shoulder, and it was possible to see the tears in the corner of his eyes, "Andrew was there, Monica, and when the fire started he... he didn't leave the building immediately, he started to help the ones who couldn't get at the exit..."

"But... he did leave the building, right?" she asked, her voice trembling and the tears quickly rolling down her face.

Sighing deeply, Adam lowered his head and tried to motion for her to sit down again, "Please, Monica, stay calm..."

"No! Adam, please, tell me what's wrong? What happened there? Where is Andrew?" she wanted to know, sobbing and fearing to hear his answer. Tess and Gabriel quickly wrapped a supportive arm around her waist and the supervisor turned to the angel of death, "Adam, please tell us what happened there? Where is angel boy?" her heart was racing exactly like Monica's, due to the great love and affection she felt for the blond angel.

"Andrew... managed to save all the ones inside the building... his assignment and the other children are under observation now, they'll be fine... But all this time he was in his human form and now he's hurt, Monica..."

Monica's heart jumped and the colour disappeared from her face, "What!" she uttered, in shock.

"...the smoke caused an intoxication and he's got scratches all over his body..."

He stopped speaking when the Irish angel broke into tears in her supervisor's arms. How come two different pieces of news arrive at the same time? What would become of her if Andrew had to go Home now that she had to remain on Earth for months until their baby was born?

"Oh, my God!" the oldest angel spoke, with the same shocked expression on her face.

"Oh, Tess... Tess, I need to see him!" she pleaded desperately.

Tess gently held the Irish angel in her arms, "Shh! Calm down, baby, calm down, please! We don't know the extension of the damages..."

"He's hurt, Tess..." she sobbed, unable to control her crying.

"But we don't know how much!" the older angel spoke, "What we need to do is to calm down first!"

"Oh God, I told him to go! I told him yesterday that I wouldn't mind staying here alone while he worked on his assignment... I shouldn't have said that! I had that awful dream at night, I knew something was wrong! I should've insisted!"

"There's no way you could have guessed what was going to happen, baby! Please, try to calm down! Don't forget you're carrying a little baby in there!"

Monica placed her hand on her belly, "I'll go there! he needs me!" tears never stopped from falling from her eyes.

"We're all coming, baby. I'll take my car keys..." Adam wrapped a supportive arm around Monica's shoulders while Tess looked for her car keys. On his face, there was surprise and amazement at what he had just heard. "Dear Father..." he whispered, in shock.

When they left the cabin, Gabriel caressed the young angel's face, "Have faith, Monica... Pray with all your heart and never forget that God's plan is perfect..."

"Thank you, Gabriel..." she miserably spoke, still sobbing.

"I'll pray for you... For all the three of you..." the angel of annunciation said, disappearing a second later. Tess, Monica and Adam left the cabin and drove up to the nearest town, where Andrew was.

To be continued.

X

Gosh I guess I'm in a big trouble...


	25. My world, my love, my life

Angel of Mine Series Episode 25: My world, my love, my life 

On that morning, everything seemed to be part of a dream for Monica. A dream that had started with a wonderful piece of news, given by Gabriel, the angel of annunciation. She would become a mother. Her distant, practically impossible dream to become a mother would come true – and every angel in all realm dreamed about this gift, this blessing never bestowed to any heavenly creature before. Maybe she'd been the one to receive it because the love she and Andrew shared was such a deep one that it had to be expanded. Maybe it was because they had done something in their existence that made them deserve this honour. Maybe the Father had especial plans for this still unborn little angel that rested in her womb. Or maybe, all these reasons were combined together.

But then the wonderful dream turned into a terrible nightmare in a matter of seconds. A fire had destroyed the small hospital where Andrew was working and he tried to save all the ones who couldn't get at the exit by themselves – all of them were children, and all of them were safe now. She didn't expect less from a gentle, loving and compassionate creature like Andrew. His kind and warm heart, his infinite tenderness, especially with children, his noble spirit – all of these were common qualities to an angel, but in him they seemed even more accentuated and they were some of the innumerable reasons why she'd fallen in love with him.

But, being in human form at the moment of the accident, he got hurt. Monica knew that Adam was avoiding giving her details of what had happened, and feared the extension of his wounds.

From the moment the other angel of death gave her the awful piece of news, everything seemed to happen in slow motion: she changed her clothes, got into Tess' car and, through blurred vision due to the permanent tears falling from her eyes, watched as the supervisor drover her and Adam back to the city, two hours from the cabin where she was staying. All this time, the Irish angel rested her hand over her belly, trying to get the strength to face that difficult moment from the little gift that rested there.

All the victims of the accident had been sent to the big city hospital and a couple of hours later, Tess parked her red Cadillac in front of the tall building. She, Monica and Adam crossed the gates and headed to the counter, desperately searching for information.

"Please, we're looking for a person who got hurt in the fire... His name is Andrew..." Adam spoke, as his other two angelic friends were still in shock.

The receptionist immediately nodded her head, knowing exactly who he was talking about, "Oh, yes, the man who helped to save the children... That was so sad..." she said, with distress evident on her face, "Are you his relatives?"

Adam looked at the little angel standing next to him, watching as she wiped the endless tears that were falling from her eyes and spoke for the first time, "I'm... I'm his wife..."

The expression on the woman's face was one of sorrow at the thought of seeing such a beautiful young couple threatened to be separated forever by the tragedy that had happened a few hours earlier. "I'll be praying for him, young lady. What he did for all those children only shows that he's a good man... he'll be rewarded somehow..."

"Thanks..." Monica's voice was hoarse and she could hardly speak.

"Can we see him?" Tess wanted to know, with a permanent arm around her charge's shoulders.

"Well... I'll call a nurse and she'll take you to talk to the doctors who are taking care of him... He... he's in the ICU."

Monica stifled a sob and nodded, following the nurse that led them to an isolated area of the hospital. And although Tess was there, permanently supporting her, she could feel the anguish and pain coming from the old angel's heart. She was like a mother to both Monica and Andrew; the one who brought them together (and of that, she was very proud) and how she loved the blond angel! Having to stay away from him would certainly make her suffer terribly, like a mother separated from her dear son.

"... it's nice to meet you, Monica..." the doctor who was assisting Andrew spoke, once the nurse introduced them, "...I'm just sorry it has to be under this circumstance. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you..." she replied, and then turned to face her angelic friends, "... these are Tess and Adam. They're our friends... our family..."

"What's Andrew's real condition, doctor?" the supervisor wanted to know.

The old man sighed, as if searching for the right words, "Well... we've finally managed to stabilise him now. When the firefighters managed to take him out of the hospital, he had inhaled a great quantity of smoke. Besides, he... he got hurt too... he hit his head and there's a nasty cut in his temple. Plus, he has a few wounds on his arms and hands, due to the fire."

The man's heart was filled with sorrow to see how Monica bit her lower lip, tying in vain not to cry. "How long... how long will it take until he wakes up?" she finally spoke.

"I don't know, Monica. You see, when he got here, my co-workers and I thought that he wouldn't resist. But your husband is a fighter, you see. And he surely refuses to stay away from you!" the doctor explained, and it was possible to see that he was surprised with Andrew's resistance, "So all we can do now is wait. Be patient and see if he can react to the treatment we're giving him. And we can also pray."

The Irish angel wiped her tears with a tissue paper and looked at her friends, and then back at the old man, "That's what we've been doing, doctor... May... may we see him?"

"Only one person is allowed in the ICU..."

Tess squeezed her charge's hand and Adam caressed her hair, "You go ahead, baby, we'll wait here."

X 

The ICU room was cold and its silence was only broken by the constant noise of the monitor next to the bed. When she saw him, Monica rushed to his side, breaking into tears to see her beloved Andrew so badly hurt. Seeing his pale face and the totally stillness of his human body caused a terrible sensation of panic inside her heart, as if she would never see him smiling at her or holding her tightly again.

With a trembling hand, the Irish angel caressed his face, a gentle caress so common to them but which seemed so precious at that difficult moment.

"I'll leave you two alone, Monica. If you need anything, please, talk to the nurse, ok?"

"Thank you, doctor..." she managed to reply, never turning her eyes from the angel lying in the bed. Only when the old doctor left the room did she speak again, her crying voice hoarse with emotion. "I have so much to tell you... It's amazing that we were together just a day ago and I already miss you like we've been apart for a whole century... But that's... that's what love does... It makes me feel like a part of me is missing when you're not by my side..."

She reached for his hand as her tears fell freely from her eyes, "I know that the Father has the power to turn something terrible into something wonderful... And I'll be praying for this to happen... I'll be here by your side, asking Him to heal you... I know you've been fighting and I just need you to hold on a little bit more, okay?" sobbing, she bent her head and lay a soft kiss on his forehead, "... please, Andrew, hold on for me... I cannot imagine my existence without you... If... if I have to stay in this form for a while, I need you with me..."

Her crying and the multitude of strong emotions in her heart stopped her from speaking. All Monica could do was sob and silently pray that God allowed Andrew to stay by her side. She didn't know if angels could really die. Maybe not their spirit, but their human form was fragile and it was exposed to all sorts of risks a normal human being was. And that fact alone scared her deeply. The Irish angel felt a shiver running down her spine at a terrible but very plausible thought: was the little angel in her womb a way to compensate Andrew's absence?

X 

Time went by slowly inside that cold room. And the more the seconds passed, the more Monica's anguish increased, as Andrew remained lifeless on that hospital bed, connected to machines and breathing slowly. Eventually, Tess and Adam managed to see their angelic friend, and offered their prayers for his quick recovery. But what the oldest angel couldn't hide was her great worry at the image of her dear angel boy so badly hurt.

After they had left, Monica remained sitting by Andrew's bed for a long time, thinking, remembering, praying and crying. The possibility of never seeing someone so much loved was the worst feeling a person – or angel – could ever experience.

It was Tess' hand over her shoulder that took her out of her reverie and made her turn her eyes away from the blond angel's sleeping form. "Angel girl? Adam offered to stay here while you go and eat something."

"I'm... To tell you the truth, I'm not very hungry, you know..."

"Well, you may not be that hungry but things are different now, baby. You need to be strong, your human form has to be a healthy one."

She knew Tess was right. Slowly, the Irish angel nodded and placed her hands over her belly, caressing it with tenderness and a bittersweet smile. The thought of having a little one, so fragile and innocent and who was totally dependent on her raised a fiercely protective feeling inside her heart, something that she had never experienced before.

"You're right... He or she needs me too, isn't it?"

A slight smile appeared on Tess' face, "Yes, baby. And I'm sure you'll fulfil this assignment beautifully!"

Monica stood up from the chair and stroked Andrew's face with tenderness, "I'll be back soon, okay?"

She bent her head and lay a soft kiss on his forehead and left the room together with Tess, while Adam took her place on the same chair.

Nothing else happened during the rest of the day. The Irish angel returned to the ICU and spent the entire night by Andrew's side, falling asleep once in a while, waking up with her eyes filled with expectation, hoping to see at least a slight sign of recovery, and then sighing with disappointment when she saw no reaction from him.

A rainy spring morning fell slowly and Monica stood up from her chair, standing by Andrew's bed and never moving her eyes from him, "Good morning, Andrew... I hope you had a peaceful night... I know you're fighting hard... Yes, I trust you with all my heart and soul and I'm sure you're doing everything you can to come back to me... I can feel it right here in my heart... But I understand it's difficult... I can wait a wee bit more until you're strong enough to wake up... I wish I had a rose to give you when you do so, but they don't allow flowers in the ICU, you know..." she whispered, tenderly caressing his tousled blond hair. "But you know how much I love you, don't you? I do... I love you very, very much, Andrew..."

A silent tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke; a turmoil of many different and opposite emotions visible on her face. But a few seconds later, she covered her mouth with both hands, feeling the now recurrent morning sickness brought by her condition. Quickly, she left the ICU and rushed to the ladies room, which was down in the corridor, just a few steps away. Trembling, she went sick many times, not having anybody to help her out. Tess and Adam had been called in an assignment and although they guaranteed to be back soon, there was no way she could wait for their return. The last time she felt that bad Andrew was the one to hold her tightly and take care of her but now... now she was on her own and that thought brought a flood of tears to her eyes.

She kneeled on the cold white floor and sobbed.

X 

Finally bringing herself together, the Irish angel stood up and walked weakly up to the sink. She opened the faucet and washed her face, the cold water bringing some relief. A few minutes had passed and, feeling a little bit better, Monica took a paper towel and was wiping her face when somebody – a young woman, entered the restroom. It was possible to see that she was crying and despair was evident all over her face.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" the Irish angel wanted to know, her kind and warm heart already filled with worry for the apparently vulnerable creature, even though she had all sorts of problems herself.

"I'm... Yes... I'm fine..." the girl replied, her voice and face saying right the opposite.

Monica gave a few steps towards her and gently placed her hand over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I can't believe that, you look very nervous... What happened?"

And the young woman couldn't help but break into tears, sobbing violently.

Some time later, at the hospital cafeteria...

"Thank you..." the girl said, as Monica brought her a cup of water.

"You're welcome... are you sure you don't want some coffee or perhaps..."

"No, I'm... I'm fine, really..."

The Irish angel took a seat at the table and looked at the girl, "My name is Monica," she offered, friendly.

"It's nice to meet you, Monica... I'm Linda."

"Do you have any relative in here, Linda?"

"N-no..."

"I thought you did because you seem so anguished..."

"I came here to do an exam..." she lowered her head for a moment, "Although I already knew the result..."

"Is it why you were crying? Because of the result?"

Biting her lower lip, the girl nodded, "Yes..."

"I know I'm a total stranger but maybe talking about it could help... maybe it could bring some relief, you know. I'm a good listener."

"Thank you, Monica..." Linda looked back at her and finally a slight, yet bittersweet smile appeared on her face, "... funny I've only known you for 10 minutes and feel like I already trust you..."

"Don't you want to tell me what happened?"

"I'm... I came here today to do a pregnancy exam. I'm expecting a baby..."

"Oh, but that's great news!" Now more than ever Monica certainly knew the joy brought by a piece of news like that, but judging by the young lady's voice and by the look in her eyes, the angel immediately knew there were implications involved. "You said you already knew the result... Was it planned?"

Linda shook her head, "No... It... it came as shock... as a problem... I can't have this child..."

Hearing something like this when she was only an angel, even long before she had met Andrew and fell in love with him, was already painful. Now that she herself would become a mother, those words hurt like a knife. "Why do you say that?"

"I have nobody in this world, Monica. My parents have already passed away and I have no more family. You see, I've just got this job and if I tell my boss I'm pregnant, I'll sure be fired!"

"What about the baby's father?"

Linda shook her head, "He left me... He said it's not his problem and that I should solve it by myself."

"But you do realise he's wrong saying this, don't you?"

"It's my body, isn't it? And...he was right when he told me to picture myself with this child in my arms, crying night and day and with nothing to eat and no job to pay my bills... He said that I'd regret this mistake for my entire life..."

"And you believed him?"

"He sure has a point, doesn't he? What am I going to do with a baby in my arms and nothing to eat, Monica? Who is going to help me out when I lose my job? A child requires expenses and costs money and..." she started to cry all over again and the Irish angel covered her hand with hers.

"Linda... May I ask you something?" watching as the girl nodded, she kept on speaking, "When you entered the ladies room a few minutes ago, you were crying desperately... I want you to tell me exactly why you were crying."

Linda looked at her with a puzzled expression in her eyes, "I've just told you, I..."

"No... You told me the result of your pregnancy test and what your boyfriend told you..."

"I... don't get it..."

"If you were sure about not having this baby, don't you think you wouldn't be crying, Linda? Don't you think you wouldn't be so desperate?"

The truth in those words came as a shock, as well as the realisation that, in fact, she was lost and felt the conflict in her mind. "You're... you're right..."

"For the last minutes, you wondered about what would happen to you in the next 9 months... But have you ever stopped to think how you would be feeling in 20, 30 years from now?"

"N-no... it... it never occurred me before..."

"You've just told me you have no more family, no friends and that your baby's father has left you..."

"It's true... I'm all alone in this world..."

With a slight smile on her face, the Irish angel made the question that she had been asking herself since she first heard about Andrew's accident, "Has it ever occurred you that maybe this little child is a gift? A present from God so that you don't have to be all alone in this world anymore?"

Sobbing violently, Linda lowered her head – a turmoil of different emotions in her mind. The angel's worlds echoed in her heart and had a shocking, amazing effect in her spirit. The Irish angel kept on talking, voicing her own feelings in order to help that poor young woman, who was visibly confused and lost in endless sadness. They bid each other farewell and the angel's comforting words led Linda to reflect about the world around her. She left the city hospital still crying, but relieved at the same time and grateful for meeting someone so kind and warm hearted to talk to.

Monica, for herself, returned to the ICU room, also thinking about the conversation with Linda and about her own future, in case she and the baby she was expecting had to stay away from Andrew. Quietly, she returned to his side and continued to pray, in an attempt to soften the painful and long wait for his recovery.

X 

One week passed since Andrew's accident and Monica had to adapt to a sad routine: spend days and nights by his bed, watching over him and wondering if she would ever see his warm smile and hear his voice again. His motionless body and the paleness on his face were difficult to look at, but staying away from him was unthinkable. She rarely left the room, and when she did it was either to eat something or due to the morning sickness, which always made her rush to the ladies room.

She had left the ICU to have a quick snack, but truth to be told she wasn't hungry. Tess' early words were constantly in her mind though: a little life depended on her and she would do anything for him or her. The Irish angel walked back to the room fidgeting with Andrew's wedding band, now attached to the necklace he'd given her a while ago. On that occasion, he'd told her that the two pendants in it – a small dove and a gold heart, were to remind her of God's love and of his own love. How she wish there was a way to turn back time! They both had shared so many beautiful moments, so many happy memories that every time she thought about the accident, tears filled the corner of her eyes and were soon rolling down her face, like they were now.

Tess was watching over Andrew, praying for his recovery when Monica opened the door, "Is there anything new?" she would always ask, taking the supervisor's place by the bed.

"I'm sorry, baby, but no. But Adam and I, along with the other angels, will keep on praying for angel boy."

Monica nodded and watched as Tess left the room. Then, she turned her eyes to the blond angel and reached out to caress his hair. "I'm back... I'm sorry I have to be absent for a few minutes but... but I know you'll understand it someday..." stifling a sob, she took his hand and squeezed it. "I hope he or she has your eyes and your smile... so that I can always see you looking and smiling at me... even though you're away..."

X 

That night she felt exhausted. Her condition and the hard routine at the hospital were making her so tired that she didn't resist for a long time and fell asleep sitting on the chair next to the bed, never letting go of Andrew's free hand. The rest of the night fell quickly and soon, the first sunrays started to shine through the window. The first ones after 7 days of continuous rain.

They would've woken Monica up eventually but something made the little angel open her eyes before. Something wonderful and totally unexpected: Andrew's free hand, which she had been holding all night long, suddenly moved, squeezing her hand back. Slowly, still a bit confused, she raised her head, not sure if she had really felt it or if it was just a dream. But a second squeeze left no room for doubts – and nor did the whispered word that came out of the blond angel's lips.

"... Monica..."

Her heart seemed to stop at that sound, at that so familiar and dear voice that reached her ears again. Then the Irish angel turned her eyes from their conjoined hands to look at his face, and tears immediately filled her soft brown pools, rolling down her cheeks a second later. But those were tears of happiness at the image of her beloved Andrew looking back at her, "Andrew..."

"Angel... baby..." he said, his voice hoarse not only because of his condition but also because of emotion.

Monica stood up from the chair and caressed his handsome face with tenderness; her heart racing, "Oh, Andrew! Andrew! You're back! You're back!"

"I am, sweetie... I'm sorry I made you worry..."

"Oh, God... thank You! Thank You, Father, for this miracle! I prayed so much, Andrew! Oh, God, I prayed so much to hear your voice and see your smile again!" the emotion was so much that she broke into tears and couldn't speak anymore. Tears sprang freely from her eyes and fell against Andrew's own face as she leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"Shh... Calm down, angel... I'm here... Please, don't cry..." he said, reaching out to caress her auburn hair and deeply moved.

"... I thought you wouldn't come back to me... I was so desperate, Andrew!" she pulled away just a few inches, and caressed his face again, "When I first knew about the accident it seemed that... that my world had fallen apart because I love you so much... so much, darling! I'd give up my whole eternity to have you by my side again!" sobbing and trembling violently, she rested her forehead against his and at this moment tears fell from his bright green eyes, mixing with her own tears.

"My angel... my sweet Monica... You will always be my Heaven, baby... All this time I stayed here I could feel you by my side... I have no doubt you were meant to be my angel..." he kissed the tip of her nose and cupped her face with his free hand, "... and I wouldn't think twice before giving up my own eternity to be with you... I love you, Monica. Forever and for always."

Sobbing, she finally smiled – a crying, trembling smile, but which held as much emotion as the brightness of her eyes and the expression on her face. Slowly, they inched their faces closer and crossed the small distance that separated them, lips touching a second later, in a tiny but soft kiss.

As they pulled away, Andrew frowned as he reached out for her trembling hand. "Monica? Angel, are you alright? You're shaking..."

"Y-yes, I am... B-but I'm fine, Andrew... I guess it's the emotion of the moment..." she stammered.

"I'm so grateful to be back at your side, honey... When... when the fire started I thought it was possible to take everybody out of the building, including my assignment, but then... when I couldn't get out I... all I could think about was you, Monica..."

"I was so desperate... I felt... so lost without you, Andrew..."

He wiped her tears away, not aware of his own tears in the corner of his green pools, "I prayed so much... I begged God not to make me stay away from you... I was... desperate too, cause I knew the news about the accident would break your heart..."

"But none of this matters now; you're here with me! You're back to me!" a slight smile reappeared on her face, "Tess and Adam will be so happy to see you again... They were here with me too, you know, praying for you."

He let go of her hand and caressed her cheek, "I'm sorry I scared you all..."

"Please, don't be. You did nothing less than I expected from you: helped other people," she leaned on his touch and then kissed his palm, "That's one of the many reasons why I love you so much..."

"I too could tell you hundreds of reasons why I love you so much, sweetie..."

Monica's face turned into a serious, worried one a second later, "Oh, but you shouldn't... You shouldn't talk too much, you know, Andrew! You have to rest as much as you can now, I'll take care of you and..."

The blond angel couldn't help but chuckle: the worried tone in her voice and all the protectiveness visible in her meek face surely were among all the reasons why his heart always skipped a beat for that kind and sweet little angel. He never let go of her hand and while she spoke, he lifted a silent prayer, thanking God for allowing them to be together again. At the moment of the accident, when the fire burned the interior of the small hospital where he was working, he had also prayed to be by her side again. And now he would eternally grateful that the Father had answered to his plea.

X 

The days that followed were calm and happy ones. Although Andrew's condition required attention and a lot of care, his human form reacted well to the treatment and he left the ICU. Maybe Monica's constant presence was one of the main reasons for that. However, there were two things the blond angel didn't understand so far: why the Father was keeping him in human form for so long instead of restoring his angelic form, and why sometimes Monica left the hospital bedroom in a hurry. Eventually, he gave up thinking about those, trusting that at the right moment everything would become clear to him.

Besides, his sweet angel girl was there, taking care of him and brightening up his days with her loving presence, filling his heart with joy at every word or gesture or even when she fell asleep in a small bed next to his. And that was all he could ask for.

"You should try and eat a wee bit more, Andrew. There's still a bit of Jell-O..." she insisted, sitting on the edge of his bed and watching when he pulled the tray with the leftovers of his lunch away.

"No, angel, really, I'm fine. Actually, I feel a bit full with so much food."

"Are you sure? You didn't even touch the Jell-O..." she replied, looking at the dessert with visible interest.

And Andrew quickly noticed the way she gazed at the pink coloured mixture. Amused, he spoke again, "I... I'm sure... Actually, I don't like it very much, you know... but... But if you want, you can have it..."

"Really?"

Now he couldn't help but to chuckle, "Really!"

Watching as she quickly ate the dessert, the blond angel started laughing and Monica stared at him with a rather upset expression on her face, "What?"

"You look incredibly cute stealing my food away!"

Now her mouth dropped open with indignation at what she had just heard, "Oh! I am not stealing your food, you said you didn't want it and that I could have it!"

"Yes, but I didn't say it was for free! I deserve a reward for that!"

Now realising his teasing mood, she narrowed her eyes and put the Jell-O pot (now empty) on the tray. Then, she gently lay both hands on each side of his face and inched her own face closer, "Hum... Let's see if you deserve it..."

"I promise I do!"

She crossed the small distance that separated them and their lips collided a second later, in a sweet loving kiss. As he was sitting up straight, Andrew wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, while his fingers entangled in her smooth brown hair. Monica stroked his face with her slender fingers and when air became an issue, that sweet caress turned into small soft kisses.

"Come here, angel, let me hold you for a minute..." Andrew spoke, pulling her for a tight hug, burying his face on her shoulder and inhaling her sweet perfume. He closed his eyes, which were suddenly full of tears, and held her tightly for long, silent minutes. How he treasured that opportunity! Now even more than never, after the threat of not seeing her anytime soon. Overwhelmed with emotion, Monica caressed the back of his neck and also shed a few tears, lifting one more prayer for the blessing that God had given her – Andrew was back, and now he would share the small gift that rested inside her.

That evening, when Monica came back from the small restaurant not far from the hospital, Tess bid her "angel babies" goodbye and left. The Irish angel would always remain by his side, waiting until he fell asleep in order to get her place in the small sofa that turned into a bed placed inside his room. But on that night, the two angels snuggled close together on Andrew's bed, beaten by exhaustion and the distress of the latest days, and not wanting to be apart ever again.

And due to her condition, Monica was the first one to fall asleep, resting her head on his chest, never letting go of his hand. Andrew, for himself, remained awake for some more time, drinking her beauty, watching as her meek face seemed relaxed at the loving caresses he was performing in her auburn hair. "Thank you so much, Father... Thank you so, so much for this present..." he whispered, and also tired, he fell asleep too.

X 

On the following morning, while they were chatting about trivial matters, a light knock on the door interrupted her words: it was Tess. "Angel girl, there's a lady who wants to talk to you. Her name is Linda."

"Linda is here? I'll talk to her..." she immediately said, wondering what the young woman had decided to do with her life.

"Linda?" Andrew wanted to know.

"Yes... I met her a couple of weeks ago and I kind of tried to help her while I was here at the hospital, long before you woke up in the ICU..."

Smiling, he took her hand to his lips, "I see... you had a little assignment while you were here, right?"

"Well... I guess so..." she kissed his lips and caressed his face, "I have so much to tell you..."

"We have the entire eternity, angel. Now go, I promise I'll wait right here!"

"And I'll be keeping a good eye on you, Mr Halo!" the supervisor spoke, with a mock stern face, "And I'm not like Monica, who's always enchanted with your charm and beautiful words!"

Laughing, the two angels looked at each other and Monica spoke again, "Thanks, Tess, I won't be long."

Linda was waiting for her in the hospital hall, and when she saw the Irish angel coming towards her, a broad, grateful smile appeared on her face, "Monica..."

"Hello, Linda. I'm glad to see you again."

"Me too," she replied, taking the angel's hand, "I came here to thank you!"

"Thank me for what?"

"For everything. One week ago I was lost and desperate and couldn't see the truth that was just so obvious. But I have no doubt that God, in His infinite wisdom, put you in my way!"

A slight smile appeared on Monica's face, "I'm sure He did. He's always doing wonderful things... even though some of these things come out of terrible moments..."

"I know that now, thanks to you. I'm still amazed at how we met on that morning! It all seems... part of a miracle..."

"There are miracles everywhere... we might not notice them at first but they're out there..."

"You're right... after all, I carry one right here with me, right?" she said, emotion visible in her eyes.

"You can be sure of that!"

"May I give you a hug?"

"Of course..." they both held each other and Monica bit her lower lip as she spoke again, "Take care of your little baby, Linda. Love him or her everyday of you life, like a precious gift. He or she is a present from God so that you don't have to spend your life on Earth all by yourself."

"I love this little one already..." the young woman said, as the pulled away, "...he or she is very, very special!"

"Oh, yes!"

"Goodbye, Monica. Thank you again, for everything. You were like an angel who appeared when I most needed!"

Smiling, the Irish angel watched as Linda went away, happy to see that joy finally emerged from so much sorrow. Then she sighed and went back to the hospital bedroom, thinking about the following days.

To be continued


	26. In your eyes

Angel of Mine Series Episode 26: In your eyes 

Monica drove along the coast savouring the warm sun rays and the gentle breeze that was blowing against her face. The day was beautiful, as spring was blooming in all its colours and perfumes, and during her little trip she could watch, even for brief moments, as lilacs and other flowers blossomed by the road, making her smile grow wider every time she saw them.

But there was another reason why her heart was so full of joy: sitting right beside her, Andrew had spent the last hour teasing her by saying that Tess wouldn't be very pleased to see her admiring her surroundings while she drove her car. Her happy grin was much more than amusement at his jokes: after many days in hospital, healing from serious injuries caused by a fire, he'd been finally released. And as he would remain in human form for a while, and wasn't fully recovered, she would take care of him – an assignment that she happily acknowledged to fulfil.

Besides, she had something important to tell him, a piece of news that would certainly bring tears to his eyes and fill his angelic heart with pure joy. And Monica couldn't think of a better place to deliver this news and to help him recover than the beach house.

"I love the smell of the ocean, you know... it always brings happy memories to my mind." She said, making a turn and approaching the deserted beach. Smiling, the blond angel nodded his head, "Yes, they bring happy memories to me too, angel. All of them about you!" he said, tenderly caressing her face, enjoying to see as the wind disarrayed her auburn hair. "Maybe we can swim a little, if you want."

Hearing that, she frowned a little and her smile faded away, "Oh, Andrew, I think it's not very wise, you know... you're still recovering..."

"Well, we could do like that time, when we used the natural lakes formed by the sea water..."

In here eyes, there was still uncertainty as she approached the house, "I don't know... you should stay home and rest, that's the doctor's orders. The only thing you're allowed to do is to take a little walk along the sand when the sun is not too hot..."

"That's not fair!" he said, half upset and half amused.

"I'm sorry, Andrew, I don't want you to be sad, but you'll have to obey the orders until your human form is fully recovered!"

All the prudence and concern in her voice and on her meek face finally caused his own face to turn to a mischievous one, "Well, the fact that I cannot swim is fine... What I can't stand is coming in here and not getting to see you wearing a swimming suit!"

Giggling, she elbowed him and received a tiny kiss on her cheek. The Irish angel parked the car a few minutes later, and they both climbed the porch steps hand in hand. Andrew had hurt his leg and his arm during the accident, and just for a while, he was using a walking stick for support. They opened the door and smiled to see that the place was exactly how they had left, nearly two months before.

"I'm so happy to be here again..." she said, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders from behind and rested his chin on the top of her head. But the expression on her face turned into a serious one a second later, "... there... there were times, when you were in hospital that... that I thought we'd never come back here again..."

Sensing her sadness, the blond angel quickly stood in front of her and cupped her face, "Hey, hey... I don't want any sad memories around here, _Mrs_!" he said, hoping to cheer her up a little by calling her like that. After a quick kiss on her forehead, he continued to speak, "This is our place, our shelter, sweetie. And here we are, together again as the Father wants us to be... Just leave what happened in the past, I don't want to see an inch of sadness in those pretty eyes..."

"I know..." Monica tried to make a smile appear but instead, a few tears formed in the corner of her brown pools and she couldn't help but to wrap her arms around his waist and hold him tightly for several moments. "... I love you so much..."

Her whispered words against his strong chest moved him deeply and Andrew kissed the top of her head and caressed her hair with tenderness. "I know... You never ever let me forget about it, my angel."

X 

Being in human form required a series of needs for both of them, especially for Andrew, who should drink lots of liquids and eat light and healthy food. With the help of his sweet angel girl, who almost drove him crazy in the kitchen with a series of exotic food combinations (none of them attractive to Andrew's taste), they started to prepare lunch. During this time, for several times, the blond angel caught Monica staring at him for long minutes, as if a million of different thoughts were running through her mind.

"Angel?" he said, searching for her soft brown eyes with amusement, "May I have a kiss for your thoughts?"

His voice took her out of her reverie and she smiled softly, "Sorry, I was a wee bit distracted..." her blushing cheeks only made her more adorable to him.

"What is it you were thinking, may I ask?"

"Well... We could go for a walk this afternoon... to watch the sunset..." she suggested, tentatively, busying herself peeling a few tomatoes and not wanting to say too much.

"Sure, angel. I was thinking about it too." A sudden thought crossed his mind and made him smile, "I'm always under the impression that this beach is a bit ours, you know."

"Me too!" she nodded enthusiastically, and grinned at him, "And I told you my thoughts, mister, don't I deserve something back?"

Now laughing openly, he let go of the food and grabbed her face with both hands, pressing his lips against hers in a loving kiss. Monica surrendered to that caress and tenderly stroked his face, feeling her heart full of love for that kind angel who was always ready to tell her again and again how precious she was to him.

After lunch, Monica started to feel one of the effects caused by her condition and, as Andrew insisted on washing the empty dishes and glasses, the Irish angel lay down on their bed to rest a little, but ended up falling into a deep sleep on the following minute. When he returned to the living room, Andrew was going to say something but the sentence died in his mouth when he didn't find her there.

Frowning a little, he headed to their bedroom and was surprised at the sight of her sleeping form. "Angel... I just hope you're alright..." he whispered, sighing deeply and wondering if she was hiding anything from him. Frightening memories of Monica being terribly sick just a night before his accident suddenly returned to his mind and he dreaded to imagine his dearest angel ill due to some human disease. Tenderly brushing a few strands of hair from her face, Andrew lay a soft kiss on her forehead and lay down right beside her, protectively wrapping an arm around her shoulders, careful not to wake her up.

X 

Andrew spent the rest of the afternoon watching as his beloved angel girl slept in his arms. Monica had unconsciously inched closer to him and snuggled against him a few minutes after he had lay there, as if sensing his angelic presence even during her sleep. Despite his concern and the strangeness of her sudden falling asleep, there was such a peaceful expression on her meek face that made him even more confused about her condition.

A kitten like yawn took him out of his reverie and he turned his eyes to the little angel, watching with amusement as her eyes flickered open and a very confused expression appeared on her face. "Hello, Sleeping Beauty!" Andrew whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Andrew?" she said, looking first at him and then at her surroundings, "What happened?"

"You mean... what happened in the last three hours, while you were peacefully snoring away here in my arms?"

"Three hours? Oh, my goodness!" Blushing a little, she looked at the window to see if it was still day, "We're late!"

"Late? Late for what, angel?" he wanted to know, frowning a little as she disentangled from his arms and got out of bed.

"Oh... For... For our walk on the beach..." she replied, looking through the window and heaving a sigh of relief to see the sun hadn't set yet.

"We could go tomorrow, Monica, you see... we'll spend some days here and..."

"No, we should go today, Andrew. Please, it's very important..."

The urgent tone in her voice and her unusual behaviour were making Andrew more and more intrigued – she would never fall asleep so fast without even telling him, nor get out of bed that quickly. The blond angel stood up and walked over up to the window, standing in front of her and taking her hand. "Angel, are you alright?"

"Y-Yes... yes, Andrew, I'm fine. I just want to take a walk on the beach..." She turned her eyes away from him for a second, "... unless you're not feeling very well..."

"Oh, no, I'm fine too." He cupped her chin and lifted her head up, gazing at her for a few seconds, trying to understand what was on her mind. Then, he brushed a tiny kiss on her lips, "You know, you can be really intriguing sometimes, sweetie, but never less enchanting!"

A shy smile appeared on her meek face as he said that, and her sweet voice made his heart ache with so much love, "Come with me, please?"

X 

Hand in hand, the two angels in human form walked barefoot along the white sand, allowing the small waves to tickle their feet as they talked and admired their surroundings. They didn't talk much, though, as no words could express the joy that the couple of valentines felt for being together again. But despite that beautiful and calming scenario, something was worrying Andrew and the more he observed Monica, the more his concern increased. The Irish angel had been quiet – a lot more than usual, and he knew that it wasn't like her to remain in silence for a long time, especially in his company. If there was an angel with whom she used to share all her thoughts and philosophical remarks about the world around them, it was Andrew. He would listen intently to every little detailed explanation about how she felt, always treasuring her words and feeling proud for having the privilege of her trust.

But that time she wasn't saying much and that scared him deeply. "Angel?"

"Yes, Andrew?" she looked at him and, before he kept on speaking, she frowned, "Are you feeling tired? Do you want to go back?"

"Oh, no. No, baby... Actually, we've been talking about me way too much lately. I wanted to know about you..." he spoke, tentatively.

"I've never felt so happy..." came her answer, and he could detect the presence of tears in her soft brown eyes. At the moment she let go of his hand to wrap her arms around his waist, he felt a lump forming in his throat and made her stop walking. "Monica... Angel, there's something I want to know..."

"Andrew, I..."

"No, please, Monica, don't hide things from me..." he tenderly caressed her cheek, "I've been watching you, baby. The way you fell asleep just now, your exhaustion... And I never forgot the night before the accident, when you wouldn't stop feeling sick... Please, tell me if you've been feeling like this, because I..."

She gently covered his mouth his her fingers to silence him, "Andrew..." Then, she took his hand and pulled him down to sit on the soft sand with her. Looking at him with infinite tenderness, Monica continued to speak, "Do you remember the last time we visited this beach?"

"Of course I do, angel. It was the best Valentine's day of my existence..."

"We only come here in special moments..." there was a slight smile on her face.

"And each and every moment is etched right here in my heart, baby." He said, not yet realising what she was trying to say.

"Well... There's one more special moment to add, Andrew. That's why I wanted to bring you here."

"Angel, I... I'm quite confused... All the moments I spent with you are special alone, but I sense you're talking about something else..."

The sun was spreading its last golden rays on Earth and started to set behind the ocean, surrounding her image with a wonderful glow that would always make him feel in awe with so much love. But her next words only made him more and more worried, "The sickness I felt at that night... well, it didn't stop. I've been... feeling like this quite often lately..."

"Monica! Angel, why didn't you tell me? God, I would never allow you to drive all the way up to here, I'd never allow you to help me with lunch, Monica, you should've told me about it, I..."

"No, Andrew, please, calm down..."

"Angel, I think it's high time for you to return Home, I don't mind staying here all by myself, I can handle-"

The blond angel stopped talking at the moment tears started to fall from her eyes and she let out a sob, holding his hand with both of hers and now pressing it against her heart. "Angel..." he whispered, with trembling voice.

Sobbing even more, she continued to speak, "All the time you were at the hospital... I was praying that you could go back to me. I prayed so much, Andrew... I asked the Father night after night not to send you away from me..."

His heart was racing and he seemed to be in the middle of a nightmare, haunted with the possibility of seeing something bad happening to his beloved Monica. He reached out and caressed her face with his free hand, as the other one the Irish angel kept on pressing against her heart. "I felt your presence all the time, Monica... You're a part of me, of my very soul... I cannot imagine existence without you and I promise, sweetie, I promise you that I'll never leave you alone!"

It was at that moment that she smiled through the tears, making him even more confused. "There's... There's someone else who needs you now, Andrew..."

"I... I don't understand, angel..."

Slowly, she moved his hand from her chest to place it over her belly, and finally spoke the words that had been in her heart for weeks, "Our love is so strong, Andrew, that it allowed the Father to create a new angel."

For a moment, Andrew forgot how to breathe. What she was telling him, her placing his hand over her belly, her tears, all the strange symptoms over the last weeks... No... Even being quite obvious for humans, all these evidences couldn't mean it! Feeling his whole body trembling and his accelerated heartbeats, Andrew searched deep inside her teary brown eyes and the truth he found there scared him.

And it also made him feel like crying with so much happiness.

"Monica... What you're saying..." he tentatively spoke, still afraid of voicing it – afraid that it could be a misunderstanding or even a dream and that he would wake up at any moment. Tears welled up his green pools and only took a split second to fall as she concluded her announcement, "I don't know how or why... Only God knows His reasons, but the truth is that... I'm pregnant... You will be a father, Andrew..."

"...a f-father?" he whispered, a turmoil of strong, loving emotions running through his mind. He did not manage to say too much, as now he cried freely and gently lay his other hand over her still flat belly. "A baby? We're having..."

"A baby, yes..." her sobbing voice and the tearful smile upon her face were now shared by her beloved Andrew, who reached out to hold her tightly in his arms, "Oh, Father... I... Angel... I... You've just made me the happiest creature in the world..." he said, kissing her lips and cheeks and once again, caressing her belly with an immediate father's love. "Our baby... You're telling me that our baby is here, angel?" he exclaimed, grinning with never-ending tears of joy.

"Yes! It's a miracle..."

"Oh, yes, a miracle... the most wonderful miracle I've ever witnessed!" he caressed her face, "And again it had to be you the one to give me so much happiness, my angel... God, Monica, I love you so much, baby, so much I guess eternity wouldn't be enough to tell you how immense my love is..."

"I already told you that you show this to me every single day... With words, gestures... with your eyes, with every part of your soul..."

He held her tightly and closed his eyes, lifting a prayer of thanks for that wonderful blessing. They remained entangled in that embrace while the sun was setting right behind the ocean, speaking loving words to each other through the connection they shared since from the day they'd first met, all those years before.

The blond angel kissed the side of her head and reluctantly pulled away, "When... when did you first know, Monica? Please, tell me everything about it, I feel like I've missed so much..." he asked, permanently stroking her belly.

She smiled tenderly and covered his hand with hers, "Gabriel told me on the day of your accident, Tess was together with me then..."

"Tess... She must be so happy!"

"She is! In fact, I guess she feels like a grandmother already!" They both laughed at the Irish angel's words, "I'm sorry it took me some time to tell you but... I didn't want to give you the news in a hospital bedroom... I wanted it to be here, at our beach..."

"I know, angel, I know..." Andrew frowned a little, "... I'm just so sorry you've been through all this all by yourself. When I think about all the sorrow you've been through and now knowing that you were waiting to give me the news... I wish I was there with you..."

"You're here now and that's all that matters to me."

He took her hand to his lips, "I promise I'll be here with you all the time."

"I'll have to stay on Earth for a while, you know, until the baby is born."

"And I'm sure the Father will allow me to stay here with you."

"I'm always happy when you're doing the Father's work but... I have to confess that I'll be also happy if you could be with me..." she quickly corrected herself, "... with us too... in between one assignment and another..."

"You and this little one can be sure I'll be right by your side..." Smiling broadly, he placed both hands on her waist and bent his head, kissing her belly repeatedly, as she caressed his dishevelled short blond hair. "I promise you, little one... Daddy will always be here with you and your mom..."

"He or she knows that, Andrew... I know this little angel can also feel his daddy's presence!"

From the look in his eyes, Monica could see Andrew's heart was almost bursting with happiness and that fact alone was enough to make her twice happier. Noticing that the sun had just set, he took her hand, "Come now, angel, let's get inside, it's getting cold."

She waited until he stood up and took his proffered hand, "It was the most beautiful sunset of my existence..."

"Of mine too, sweetie." he brushed a tiny kiss on her lips and placed a strand of hair behind her ear, "God, Monica, you'll need special care from now on... I promise I'll take good care of you two... Come, this night air is not good for you and you need to eat, I'll prepare dinner and..."

She started giggling and wrapped her arms around his waist, interrupting him, "You'll be such a wonderful daddy..."

That statement was enough to melt his heart and he held her tightly once again, kissing the top of her head, "Well... I can say you'll be such a wonderful mom too, angel..."

X 

"... are you sure you're alright? Aren't you feeling dizzy or nauseous or..."

"I'm fine, Andrew, please, relax!" Monica replied, later at night, once they'd had dinner and were now settled in their cosy bedroom. The fire in the fireplace was the only source of light inside the room and once she had changed into a warm pair of pyjamas, the Irish angel lay right next to her beloved Andrew, resting her head on his chest. Amused with all his concern, she inched closer and kissed his chin. "I feel wonderful!"

"You told me that you were feeling tired and you didn't eat all the food I prepared you, we have to be very careful with..."

"I'm a wee bit tired because... well, because I've been driving all the way up here and the last few weeks have been really hard ones, but I don't feel sick... And Andrew... You put way too much food in my dish..."

"Well, that's because now you're eating for two people!"

"Okay..." she replied, giggling at his excessive worry.

Not totally pleased with her explanations (and with her giggling), he cupped her chin up so that she could look at him, "But I want you to tell me everything, ok? If and when you start feeling bad, please wake me up so that I can take care of you."

"I promise I will!" she inched even closer and placed a quick peck on his lips. Then, Monica returned her head to his chest and chuckled with amusement.

"What?" he wanted to know.

"I'm sorry to inform you but you definitely won't get to see me wearing a swimming suit..."

"And why not, may I ask?"

"Well... my swimming suit doesn't fit me anymore, you see... I've put on some weight..." she replied, as if telling him a secret and now making him chuckle with amusement.

"I don't think so, angel... You still look the same to me..."

"Oh, but I'm not..." she looked at him with a tender smile, "... I guess we have a chubby little one on the way!"

Laughing with happiness, the blond angel tightened his embrace on his sweet angel girl, picturing her in some months, with her growing belly and with their little baby kicking as if saying that he or she would be in their arms soon.

To be continued


	27. Fear not

Angel of mine series 

Episode 27: Fear not

Monica had spent the last two hours in the kitchen, busy with a huge amount of food and exotic condiments, and the joy on her face was a reflex of her condition. A three month belly couldn't be noticed under the flowered dress she was wearing but the young angel was happily humming a song, feeling like the happiest mom in the whole world. She and Andrew were staying at an apartment in a small town not far from Salt Lake City, but only the blond angel was on assignment. Since she'd found out about her pregnancy, the number of assignments meant for her to fulfil had been reduced a little, in order to preserve her condition.

But she didn't complain. Most of the time, she was the one to advise and help her beloved Andrew and her dearest friend Tess about their missions and was happy when they ended up successfully. As a matter of fact, the little angel started to see the world through different eyes – she was sweeter than never, more attentive to everything around her and her sensitiveness was even greater, if that was ever possible, and her increased perception was a valuable help to the other two angels. Monica was becoming a wise angel, who would certainly have a brilliant future doing the work of God.

All her wisdom, though, wasn't reflected in her cooking abilities. She finished to mix the food inside a sauce pan and with the help of a spoon she put a little bit of it in the palm of her hand. But a worried expression appeared on her face after she tasted the funny looking mixture and that's when she felt his presence even before he appeared right behind her. The little angel turned around with a broad smile, completely forgetting about the rather disastrous lunch.

"Angel..." Andrew was smiling back at her and visibly flattered at how fast she could feel his loving presence.

"Andrew!" she gave two steps and wrapped her arms around his neck, in a warm embrace, tenderly returned by her beloved Andrew. He loved to hold her like that and to caress her auburn hair, now aware that he was holding two heavenly beings instead of one.

"How is everybody doing?" he wanted to know, pulling away just a few inches and placing his hand over her belly.

Giggling, she nodded her head and covered his hand with hers, "Everybody is doing just fine! And happier now because you're here! I thought you'd be away until tomorrow..."

"Well, plans have changed and I've just found out I'll have a few hours free," he replied.

"Some free time? Really? So the assignment is doing fine?" her curiosity was like one of a five year old. Amused, he placed a few strands of hair behind her ear and then traced the outline of her delicate jaw with his index finger, drinking the beauty of her meek features. "Yes, everything is doing just fine, baby. Thanks to God and thanks to a wonderful little angel who's been giving me precious pieces of advice."

"I'm happy I could help," she replied, slightly blushed.

Andrew's green pools were gazing at her beautiful image sparkling with love, and only after a long minute did he speak again, "How come I saw you just yesterday and you're even more enchanting today?"

"Andrew... You're exaggerating..." she replied, blushing even more and looking even more adorable to him. The blond angel cupped her cheek with his left hand and bent his head, aiming her rosy lips. A second later, their eyes closed and they were sharing a loving, affectionate kiss. Ever since he'd found out about Monica's pregnancy, Andrew took every free minute to check on her, even if sometimes she was peacefully asleep and they didn't get the chance to talk. It was alright with him. The mere fact that he could see her asleep image was enough to fill his heart with great tenderness and love, and all these feelings were reflecting on the way he fulfilled his assignments. Besides this, now that his precious "angel girl" had to stay in human form for some months, his care and worry about her were duplicated.

"... I'm not..." the blond angel playfully rubbed his nose on hers and kissed her lips once again, "... you are enchanting everyday and in every way!"

"You're far too kind..." she replied, "... and I wish today's lunch was as enchanting... I'm a wee bit worried about it..." He followed her gaze and saw the little mess his beloved angel girl had just made with the food – and he had to struggle not to laugh at it. "... I guess I was a bit confused with the ingredients or how long I should cook them..."

"Well... sometimes these things happen, sweetie..." he said, softly running his hands on her upper arms, "But I came here exactly to ask you if you'd like to have lunch with me later."

"Really? Could we?" her eyes were immediately bright.

"Yes, I'm leaving now but by midday we could meet at the town restaurant."

Her eyes grew wide with excitement, "Oh, that would be great! I'm tired of staying here all day long, I so wanted to go out for a walk but with you and Tess away it wouldn't be that fun..."

"Well, we could have lunch and then I'll take you and our little angel here for a walk, how about that, huh?" his kind smile and the loving gaze in his green polls were so full of tenderness that she felt like she'd fallen in love with him all over again. "We both think it's a wonderful idea, the day is so beautiful..." she answered, lost in his loving eyes.

"It sure is..." he replied, committing to memory every little detail of her meek face, "Can I meet you at the restaurant, in about an hour?"

"It's perfect for me... I'll have time to tidy up this mess and change my clothes, then."

Andrew knelt right in front of her and tenderly ran his hands over her belly, "Hey, little one... Daddy loves you, and we'll be together again soon, okay?"

While he kissed her belly, Monica caressed his short blond hair, moved with the affection he'd always shown towards her and their little baby. Then, the blond angel stood on his feet and cupped her face with both hands, "I love you, angel..."

"I love you too." She replied, closing her eyes as their lips collided in one more loving kiss. Slowly, Andrew's form started to fade, until it disappeared completely, leaving a sweet taste in Monica's mouth. Even when he'd gone completely, Monica remained with her eyes closed, and placed her hand against her lips, still savouring the sweetness of that loving caress.

X 

The restaurant Andrew referred to stood only 20 minutes away from the apartment he and Monica were staying at. Happily, the Irish angel walked along the street, enjoying the gentle sunrays that shone across the blue sky and the perfume of the flowers spread by the soft breeze. Wearing a beautiful hat, a flowered dress and a light pink cardigan that matched her sandals, she soon found the restaurant and, even though she was half hour early, the little angel was feeling so hungry that she couldn't help entering and picking a table. Andrew surely wouldn't mind if she had an appetiser before he arrived – much on the contrary: the blond angel had been overprotective of her in the last few weeks, and kept on insisting that she should eat more as "now she was eating for two".

"May I take your order, madam?" a friendly waiter asked. Monica smiled back at him, "Oh, well, I'm waiting for someone... My husband," she replied, always happy to refer to Andrew like that, "... and as he hasn't arrived yet, I'd like some orange juice and some potato salad."

"Okay..." he said, writing down her order. The young man was already leaving when she added, "Oh, and I'd also like a steak... You know, I could have another one when my husband arrives..."

Chuckling, he wrote the extra information on his pad of paper and left.

While Monica waited for her food she observed the people inside the small and cosy restaurant. There was an old couple sitting not far from her, and judging by the smile on their faces, she concluded they'd been married for long and happy years. She started to imagine how she and Andrew would be in the future and smiled: although the effects of time wouldn't act upon them, their love would certainly remain stronger than never. Then, she turned her eyes to another family, and saw that a mother and a father were helping their 5 year old son to cut his food into small pieces before eating it. With a patience proper of parents, they would also answer to every single question the little one made them and exchange a loving gaze once in a while. Not far from them, there was a group of teenagers, probably enjoying their summer vacations and having pizzas and hamburgers for lunch. That was not very advisable, she thought, but the way they loved spending their free time with one another and the genuine friendship that bonded them all together was so beautiful to watch that it was worth giving up one day of regular food.

Suddenly feeling an eerie sensation of panic, the Irish angel turned her eyes to the entrance door and saw it when a tall and thin man, wearing a black ski mask, entered the restaurant and headed straight to the cashier. Everything happened very fast: he pulled a gun from inside his jacket and pointed it at the woman sitting in there.

"The money, now!"

While she opened the register and started to give him all the money in there, he pointed the gun at the ones inside the restaurant, "I don't want to use it so nobody moves or uses a cell phone, you hear me?"

Panic spread around immediately and everybody sitting near him moved away, terrified at the sight of the gun in his hands. Trying to remain calm, the angel caressed her belly and lifted a quick prayer, "Father, please, stay with us all... Help us, please..."

"You!" the man said, pointing at the man who was sitting together with his wife and son, "You have a car?"

"Y-yes..." he said, terrified for his family.

"I want the keys!"

With trembling hands, he stood up slowly and reached inside his pocket, placing the keys over the table so that the man could take them. "You're coming with me, too. You're gonna do the driving!"

"No! Please, don't!" the wife pleaded, extremely nervous.

"Silence, woman!" the man shouted, her pleading making him extremely nervous. The baby boy also got scared, and started to cry, upsetting him even more.

"C'mon, man, I'm telling you to come with me! We'll get away from here and if anybody her calls the police he'll pay!" he insisted, but then it was Monica who stood up and walked over up to him, "No, please, leave this man with his family..."

"You shut up and sit there! I didn't talk to you!"

"I'm going with you... Provided that you leave this man together with his wife and child..." the Irish angel spoke, looking deep inside the thief's eyes. The man gave a few steps towards her, looking at the insolent little woman with surprise and indignation. "Are you trying to tell me what I should do?"

"No... I'm offering to be a hostage in this man's place. I can drive your car and take you away from here if you leave right now and don't hurt anybody..."

Firmly holding a gun, the man eyed Monica suspiciously, doubting such a petite and fragile woman cold have so much courage. "No! I need that guy, he's stronger, he can drive along!"

"I can do the driving!" she replied, facing him without fear, and permanently listening to God's loving words echoing in her heart. She knew there was a reason for her being there – the assignment she'd been longing to have for weeks was finally before her eyes and there was nothing to fear as her loving Father was protecting her all the time.

Monica's petite form and the fact that she was wearing a dress prevented him and everybody else to know about her true condition. Besides, she was so determined that nobody would never suspect of anything. "You wouldn't resist driving for 30 minutes..."

"Take this man's car and take me with you... I'd never try to escape or to hurt you..." she insisted, clearing seeing the doubt in his eyes. And deep inside, he knew she was right: she wouldn't offer any danger to him due to her fragile form. Besides, he couldn't remain there any longer, soon the police would arrive.

"Okay... You grab those keys and let's go!" he said, taking the bag with all the money. "And if anybody calls the police here this woman is going to pay!"

Both left the small restaurant through the back door and headed to the only car parked outside. "C'mon, open it up and take the wheel!"

She did as he told her and once he was seated on the passenger's seat, Monica started the car and they left the small restaurant.

The customers inside the place heaved a sigh of relief but were also deeply worried about the young lady who volunteered to go with the thief. "Oh, George, she saved you! She risked herself for us to be together!" his wife cried, holding her husband and crying son tightly.

"God... please, please watch over her... She was like an angel who appeared n our way..." the man prayed, equally shaken with what had happened.

"We have to call the police! God knows what can happen to that poor woman!" the old man said.

"But he told us not to call..." his wife warned.

"But I have to tell the police the restaurant has been robbed!" a restaurant employee said, grabbing the phone.

"Let's wait a little! This way he'll think we did as he said. Give them a few minutes at least."

X 

Half hour later, when Andrew turned the corner holding a small bouquet of wild flowers, there was a crowd in front of the restaurant and the blond angel quickened the pace to get there faster. If there was immediate concern in his eyes just because of the many people in there, seeing two police cars parked in front of the building only made his heart beat to accelerate. "Excuse me... sorry... excuse me..." he made his way through the crowd and saw that the area had been isolated by the police.

"Sorry, sir, but you cannot pass..." a police officer was quick to stop him, "You don't understand, sir, my wife is in there! We'd arranged to meet in this restaurant and I got late a few minutes!"

The urgent tone in his voice told the officer that he should be allowed to enter.

"I told you I didn't want anybody in here!" the sheriff spoke, as he saw Andrew together with the other officer.

"Sorry, sir, but I guess this man is the young lady's husband..."

Running his hands through his blond hair, Andrew listened to what had happened there, at that very restaurant about an hour before, and the more he heard, the faster his heart would beat. His Monica, his angel, had been taken away from him by a criminal and not even the certainty that their loving Father would protect her and their baby was enough to make him less nervous. She'd left her hat over the table and Andrew soon recognised it as belonging to his wife.

"We'll warn the neighbour cities and put two cars to go through the main road, if they took it, they won't go very far." The sheriff spoke, feeling sorry for the devastated blond man sitting in front of him.

"I don't care about the money, sheriff. If you can bring this young lady safe and sound, then I'll have my reward already..." an old gentleman spoke, coming closer to them and not missing the angel's despair. "... God won't allow anything bad happening to her, son. I'm sure this man will set her free somewhere as soon as he realises he's far enough."

Andrew raised his head and looked at him – the old man was short and thin, and His white hair and the wrinkles on his face were evidences that he was in his late sixties. The sheriff was quick to introduce him, "This is Mr Parks, the owner of this restaurant."

They greeted each other briefly and the sheriff spoke again, "We'll get them before he thinks he's safe."

That statement only scared the blond angel even more and Andrew looked deep inside the man's eyes, "Sir, there's something you don't know... Probably that guy who took my wife doesn't know it either but... But Monica is three months pregnant."

"Oh, my God... I'm so sorry, son..." Mr Parks spoke, deeply shocked at that piece of news.

The people inside the small restaurant were visibly shocked and twice sorry to hear that piece of news, and soon they lifted their prayers for the safety of the Irish woman who had been kidnapped. "We'll find your wife and we'll bring her to you, young man. I give you my word."

Sighing deeply, and feeling awfully powerless, the angel nodded his head, running his hands over his face, not believing something like that was happening to him. In silence, he stood up and walked up to the window, looking at the bright blue sky and lifting a silent and desperate prayer. "Father, I know there must be a reason for all this, but please, protect her and the baby... Please, make them return to me in safety, for I love them so much... They're my world..."

A hand over his shoulder interrupted his prayers. It was Mr Parks.

"I know what you're going through, young man... But I trust that God won't let happen again... Not because of me..."

X 

Instructed by the thief, Monica took a back road that was rarely used and as she drove along it, he started to count the money inside the bag. The Irish angel was attentive to the way ahead of her but she would also take a look at her raptor once in a while, surveying every little detail she could about that stranger, even though he remained wearing the black mask. One of these details was the fact that he was wearing a wedding band on his left hand, and she saw in it the opportunity to start a conversation. "How long have you been married?"

He stopped his task and looked at her. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I can see your wedding ring... I was wondering why a man who probably has a family waiting for him has such extreme measures..."

"Don't you dare to judge me!" he replied, visibly upset.

"I'm not judging you. All I'm doing is trying to understand what took you to commit that robbery...There must be a reason why you decided to steal this money..." she said, looking deep inside his eyes for a brief second.

There was something about that woman that disturbed him but at the same time, it made him feel a weird sensation of peace. A feeling of trust he'd hardly experienced before. Scared, he turned his face away from her and looked outside. "What do you care..."

"I do care... otherwise I wouldn't have offered myself to be your hostage... even knowing that the gun you used in the robbery is a toy..."

Shocked and surprised, he turned to face her once again, "I... How do you..."

"I just know... And I also know that a man only comes to such an extreme measure if he's desperate; if something terrible has happened in his life..."

Some minutes of uncomfortable silence passed by until he finally decided to speak, "I... My wife and I are going through difficult times..."

"What happened?" she wanted to know, secretly relieved that he was starting to open his heart.

The man finally removed the mask, revealing his dark hair, brown eyes and a black birthmark on his left cheek. "We... had a baby who needed special attention, she was born prematurely and with serious problems... my wife had to stop working to take care of her. Besides, I lost my job soon after that... The treatment costs money... The money we don't have..."

"I'm terribly sorry..." she was immediately moved by his story and, for a split second, she felt guilty for having so much with Andrew while others had to go through such difficult times in life.

"Janet is a fighter, she tells me that everything will be fine, but it's difficult to believe it when I catch myself choosing between eating or letting her eat the last piece of bread we have in the cabinet..."

"But stealing... it's not going to solve the problem, you're just bringing a new problem to your wife and daughter..."

"At least they'll have something to eat for a while..."

"But this is wrong, sooner or later your wrong actions will be discovered and then..."

"Don't you think I've tried to find a new job? Don't you think I begged for money and food before getting the courage to do what I just did? I didn't want to hurt anybody, I just needed the money!" he spoke, sighing deeply, "I'd do anything to protect my wife and my daughter..."

Monica nodded her head understandingly. She knew what was like to have an innocent little baby totally dependent on her. "I know how you feel..."

The man frowned with concern for the second time, "Do you have a family? Are you married?"

"Yes... And I'm pregnant..."

Now he felt a terrible sensation of guilt and looked at the angel with regret and shame. "Oh, God... I... I didn't know it... I'd never agree to take you with me if I'd known it!"

"I know... and God knows that too..." she looked at him with so much compassion that for an instant, he wanted nothing but to go back at the restaurant and return the money. But he couldn't do that – he would be arrested at the moment the police saw him and what would be of his wife and little daughter?

"Pull over, please..." he said, and by the expression on his face it was possible to see he felt terrible.

"What are you going to do?"

"Please, just pull over..."

She did as he said and he stared at her in disbelief, "Are you really pregnant?"

"Yes. And I can understand what made you have this attitude, even though I don't agree with it."

"I... I didn't know what to do... I had no other choice..."

"That's not true... There's always someone ready to help no matter how terrible things seem to be."

"What's your name?"

"Monica."

"I'm Steven. When my wife and I were told that our daughter would have to go through a special treatment to survive we thanked God for that second chance. She could have died at the hospital..."

The Irish angel smiled and the expression on her face softened. "I'm happy to hear it, Steven. I'm happy to know that you and your wife saw it as a blessing and not as a terrible problem."

"We did... But soon after that I lost my job and then money was over and even food wasn't enough... I felt like a complete loser..."

"Please, don't say that. The same loving Father you thanked for having your daughter alive is watching over you and to Him, you're very special. And to your wee girl, you're the most wonderful father in this world."

"I just wanted my family to have a decent life..." he spoke, moved with emotion.

"There's no room for theft in a decent life, Steven. You have to build it up on solid foundations, otherwise... sooner or later everything falls apart."

"I know... God what was I thinking?" he ran his hand though his dark hair in despair.

X 

Two police cars came along the back road with attentive policemen looking for the thief that had robbed the restaurant and a very nervous blond angel, who had spent the last couple of hours praying for Monica's safety. But suddenly they all saw a young auburn lady standing by the road, with a bag next to her. Monica was pacing from one side to another and only stopped when she saw the two cars coming.

The vehicles stopped and their doors flung open: Andrew got off one of the cars with his heart racing and rushed towards his wife. "Angel!"

"Andrew..."

On the following second she was in his arms and he was holding her so tightly that he lifted her off the ground, saying a prayer of thanks for having his angel back to him safe and sound. "Monica... Angel..." he whispered, against her shoulder, and then pulled away, looking at every little detail of her face and body. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you? Did-"

"No, I'm fine, Andrew, I'm fine, I promise," she quickly put his heart at ease, gently caressing his handsome face. He lay a trembling hand against her belly, "Our baby..."

"Our baby is fine, too, Andrew, please be calm, we're both alright. He didn't do anything to me." the Irish angel replied, and finally convinced that she and their baby were alright, he pulled her for another embrace. "Oh, Father, thank You... Thank You so much... I was so scared, angel, so scared..."

"I know... For a moment I was afraid too, but then... the Father showed me there was an assignment for me to fulfil..." Monica spoke, tenderly caressing the back of his neck. Surprised, he pulled away just a few inches, enough to look deep inside her eyes, "An assignment?"

"Yes..."

At that very moment, they heard one of the police officers talking to the others, "Yes, the money is here but the guy still has the car, we got to find him!" he turned to the Irish angel while the others entered the police cars, "Are you alright, madam?"

"Yes, thank you officer."

"Could you come with me? We'll talk to the sheriff about what happened while my colleagues go after this guy." He said, hoping that Monica could help them to identify the man.

But Andrew was not happy with the idea, "Officer, my wife is expecting a baby, she needs to rest. Couldn't we do it some other time?"

"Oh... of course... I'm sorry..."

They got on the vehicle and returned to the city and during this time, Monica remained in silence, lifting silent prayers for the man who had just set her free. Sitting on the back seat together with Andrew, she laced her fingers with his and rested her head over his shoulder, receiving a light caress on her face. The police officer passed by the police station to let the sheriff and everybody else know that the hostage was fine and hadn't been hurt, and that he would take her and her husband back home. She would return on the following day, and give the police the necessary information to catch the criminal.

X 

Once Monica and Andrew arrived at their temporary apartment, the blond angel was quick to lead her to their bedroom and make her lie down a little. He was terrified that something bad could happen to her or to their little baby, and to him, Monica's fragile human form required twice more care.

"Let me cover you a little, you must be cold..." He said, making sure that she had enough pillows against her back and covering her with a blanket. And the Irish angel couldn't hide a slight smile, finding it adorable the way his protectiveness had doubled after she'd become pregnant.

"Andrew... thank you, but... you see... it's a wee bit hot in here..." she tried to say, which caused him to frown with more concern, "Hot? Are you feeling alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine... I just don't think I need a blanket..."

"Would you like me to open the windows?"

"Well... yes, it's a beautiful day outside..." she replied, not really wanting to contradict him, given the terrible experience he'd had early in the beginning of the afternoon.

"Are you feeling comfortable? Is there anything else you want?" he wanted to know, once he'd opened the window shutters, and taking her hand.

Monica smile grew wider and she took his hand to her belly, "I promise our little angel and I are both fine..."

"Thank God for that..." the blond angel replied, tenderly caressing her belly and never moving his gaze from hers, "I'll prepare your lunch, angel, it's almost 4 o'clock and you didn't eat anything!"

"Well, it's true, _we're_ a wee bit hungry, you know?"

He pecked her lips and stood up from the bed, "I'll make you both a big lunch, with everything that you like! You stay right here, ok?"

"Okay, _we_ promise!"

Like he said, Andrew prepared his wife a big lunch, with lots of fruits and an apple pie for desert, and this time Monica didn't protest because in fact she was starving. Pleased to see her practically devouring everything in front of her, he sat at the table next to her and watched her eating, once in a while having flashbacks of the terrible nightmare he'd had hours before.

"Everybody at the restaurant was praying for you, angel... Even the owner, who arrived a few minutes after the robbery."

"I know... I could feel their prayers and also your despair, Andrew... I tried to tell you I was fine but... in human form, I guess it was not possible for me, and you were so desperate that it affected your angelic abilities too..."

A slight sigh escaped him as he nodded his head, "Yes, I guess you're right... I heard the Father talking to me, telling me that you were being watched over but..." She reached out and covered his hand with her much smaller one, as he squeezed it and kept on speaking, "I wish I could just forget it but tomorrow you have to go to the police station..."

"To be honest, I wasn't feeling tired and could perfectly well go to the police station and identify the man who had robbed the restaurant, but I have to tell you a secret... I didn't want to."

"You didn't?"

"No..."

Confusion clouded his handsome features, "I... I don't understand..."

Monica told him everything that had happened on that day, including her raptor's sad story and all he was going through with his little daughter. And the blond angel was equally moved to know about it, soon forgetting the initial anger he'd felt at the human being who had dared to rip his angel girl from his arms.

"Gosh... I could never imagine..." he spoke, visibly surprised.

"You should've seen the look on his face... He was devastated and ready to do anything for his daughter and I... I could understand his reasons, Andrew! As a parent, I... I could see through his heart..."

Andrew nodded and took her hand to his lips, "I know what you mean, angel... And now we both know what you were doing there, at that very moment..."

"He took the car with him just because he wanted to get to the other city quickly, but he said he would leave it in the first deserted street he found. And the money... Well, he didn't return all the money, you know. He said that his wee girl needed a medicine..."

Her eyes were immediately filled with tears and Andrew was quick to pull her for a warm embrace, laying a kiss on the top of her head.

On the following day, however, Monica was called at the police station and, as much as she didn't want to, she had to answer to the sheriff's questions and to help the police to draw a picture of the man they were looking for. She couldn't lie but secretly hoped that they would never catch Steven, and that he and his family could find some help far away from that region.

Mr Parks, the owner of the restaurant, was there too and as soon as Monica finished to describe her raptor's face, the police officer turned the sketch pad to her and to the old man. "Is it any similar to him, Mrs?"

"Y-yes..." she replied, secretly asking herself why she had to do it.

"Do you recognise this man, Mr Parks? Is he familiar?" the sheriff wanted to know, but when the old man saw the picture, his face went pale and he covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh, my God..." was all he could whisper, visibly shocked.

The Irish angel looked at Andrew, who had been sitting next to her, both noticing the drastic change in Mr Parks face.

"Do you know this man?" the sheriff insisted, and then the old man took the sketch pad in his hand, slightly tracing a line with his finger along the birthmark Steven had on his left cheek.

"Y-yes... I... believe I found my son... The son I lost track of since his mother left me, 20 years ago..."

X 

A couple of weeks later, at night...

"I'm so happy!" Monica exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Andrew's waist, both of them walking along the sidewalk, heading to the small apartment they were temporarily staying at. They were both coming from the local police station, knowing that their assignments in that small town had finally come to an end on that day. On the following day, they would move to some other place, to help other people.

The blond angel had his arm permanently wrapped around her small shoulders and a smile on his handsome face, "Well, I can see that from the spark on your eyes, angel!" he replied.

"Steven not only found his long time lost father but also got the help he'd been praying for and now his daughter will be able to do the treatment and heal! Besides, Mr Parks won't be that lonely old man any longer! On his birthday, he was given a complete family as a present: his son, granddaughter and daughter-in-law!"

Chuckling at her excitement, and equally happy, he nodded his head, "The Father never ceases to amaze me! What we thought would start as a terrible tragedy ended up as a surprising and happy story! All because of a certain angel girl, who I happen to love deeply!"

Blushing deeply and not wanting the credit all for her, Monica looked at him "That's not true, Andrew. If you hadn't showed up at the apartment and invited me to have lunch with you... And if I wasn't that hungry and hadn't arrived at the restaurant earlier than we arranged, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Alright... And if you weren't expecting this little angel, maybe you wouldn't be so hungry!" he added, having in mind that these were mainly pieces of events that had all been tied up by their loving Father, Who was in control all the time.

"Well, yes, I agree with that!" she said, giggling.

"Which reminds me... How about going to the restaurant and having dinner? We'll be leaving tomorrow and..."

"Oh, no! You see... I have a surprise for you waiting at our temporary home..." she told him, in a low voice, as if telling him a secret.

The blond angel raised his eyebrows with curiosity, "A surprise?"

"Yes!" she grabbed his hand, "C'mon, it's just waiting for you!"

They arrived at the apartment, and to make things a bit more exciting, Monica insisted that Andrew should close his eyes while she opened the door. She still guided him along the entrance hall up to the dinning room and only then did she give him permission to open his eyes.

"You can look now, Andrew!"

Chuckling, and highly amused, the blond angel obliged her and saw a complete candle light dinner set for two on the beautifully decorated dining table. Lost for words, he looked at her with a smile on his handsome face, "Angel... it's... it's all so beautiful... It might have taken you hours to..."

"I did everything while you were away this afternoon, before I went to meet you at the police station!"

Shaking his head and visibly pleased with that surprise, he turned to her and tenderly caressed her cheek, "You're certainly the most adorable creature in this world, sweetie..."

Cupping her cheek gently, he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, in a loving kiss. When they parted, she looked deep inside his green pools with so much expectation that it caused his heart to melt. "I hope you like it... I made it all by myself, you know?"

"Y-you did?" came a clumsy reply, and he started to imagine what the food prepared by his beloved angel girl tasted like.

"Yes!" she replied, happy to have accomplished that. But then, she frowned slightly, "I'm just a wee bit worried about it... I hope I've followed all the instructions correctly..."

Not wanting her to feel disappointed in any way – no matter how "delicious" dinner tasted like, Andrew pulled her for a warm embrace and kissed the top of her head lovingly, "Oh, angel... I love everything that comes from you, baby. And I know you did it with all your heart and with much love; nothing can go wrong when we make things with love, can it?"

A teary smile appeared on her face, and she closed her eyes briefly, resting her head against his chest, "I suppose not... I love you so much..."

He kissed her forehead and the tip of her nose, "So do I, angel..."

And, once again, he kissed her sweet rosy lips. It didn't really matter the taste of the food nor how beautifully decorated the table was – the only thing they were really aware of that night was each other. Besides, having dinner together would always be a romantic excuse for a night filled with sweet caresses, whispered loving words and some of the most wonderful moments of their existence.

To be continued


	28. A greater purpose

Angel of mine series 

Episode 28: A greater purpose

Quietly, Andrew came closer to the bed, never moving his shining green eyes from the sleeping little angel lying in there. The sun was rising and its first rays were shining inside their bedroom, allowing him to appreciate her beautiful face and the lovely image right before him. Monica was four months pregnant and now her belly was more and more distinguished as the days passed by. As a consequence, her clothes were beginning to get smaller over the days - her night-gowns didn't suit her anymore and now she was wearing one of Andrew's tee-shirts, which she had kindly "stolen" from him while they were on Earth.

Overwhelmed with deep emotion, the blond angel sighed deeply and, sitting by the bed, he caressed her auburn hair tenderly. He spent long minutes there, just contemplating Monica's sleeping form, thinking about all the wonderful moments they'd shared until that day. Even when they were only friends and were not aware of the true loving feelings in their hearts, he'd always felt that beautiful Irish angel, with gentile manners and lovely accent, was part of him. And now there she was, promising him eternal love and expecting a little angel created from this love.

Deeply moved, he bent his head and kissed her cheek softly, never stopping to caress her auburn locks. "I love you so much, Angel..."

He continued to lay soft kisses on her face until he noticed the rather mischievous smile forming in the corner of her lips, even though her eyes remained closed. Also smiling, and very amused, Andrew moved his hand down on her body, settling it over her waist. "Well, it seems I have a very sleepyhead little angel right here... How am I going to wake her up?" he whispered into her ear, enjoying to hear the small giggle that escaped her. Then it was him the one with a mischievous smile as he spoke again, "Well... I guess I already know a way..."

When his fingers tickled Monica's waist, she immediately opened her eyes and let out an excited yelp, melting into giggles a second later. "Andrew!"

"Angel? You're awake, huh?" he replied, tickling her even more, the sound of her laugher filling the room.

"I am!" she cried back, tears already falling from her eyes. Nothing seemed funnier to Andrew than watching as his sweet angel girl tried in vain to escape from him.

Deciding that she'd had enough for now, he stopped that sweet torture and just stood there, sitting on their bed and enjoying to see her so happy. As her laughter subsided and she caught her breath, Monica looked at her loving husband with amusement and a little indignation.

"Good morning, Angel!" he greeted her, and his warm smile and green eyes, bright with love were the best images she could have at that morning.

"That was not fair, Andrew!" she complained, with mock annoyance but always cheerfully.

Laughing, he climbed in bed next to her and gently removed a few strands of hair away from her meek face, "You have no idea how adorable you are when you're all happy like this, sweetie..." he said, committing to memory each and every little detail of her beautiful features, and secretly wishing to see all of them reflected in the little angel she was expecting.

A second later, he was already brushing his lips against hers, in a sweet and loving good morning kiss. Totally lost in the moment, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down a little more, so that this sweet caress lasted for long and pleasant instants. That kiss turned into smaller ones some time later and Andrew kissed way down up to her four month belly, caressing it with genuine father love.

"Good morning you too, little angel!" he whispered, picturing him and Monica a few months ahead, holding the little baby that rested in her womb.

"I'm sure he or she must be awake and eager to be in her daddy's arms!" the angel replied, caressing his short blond hair. Andrew shot her a warm smile and, even though he'd been awake for a few hours, he lay down in bed next to her, pulling Monica into his arms a second later.

"What are you doing up so early?" she wanted to know, snuggling closer to him and resting her head on his chest. The little angel didn't miss his half chuckle and the way he raised his eyebrows inquisitively looking at her.

"I'm afraid you've been sleeping way too much, Angel. It's past 10 AM!"

"All that already?" the way she looked at him frowning in disbelief was rather funny and he couldn't help giving a small laughter.

"Yes... You and this little angel here are quite sleepyheads!"

She giggled and closed her eyes, enjoying the comfortable feeling of being in his warm loving arms, "Well, we're in human form and it's our day-off, so I thought it would be okay if we slept a wee bit more..."

"It is okay, sweetie... You should rest as much as you can. If being in human form for a while has some drawbacks, I wonder what it's like for you to be like that all the time." He spoke, with a hint of worry about her condition.

"Well... there's the morning sickness and I do feel a bit tired once in a while, you know..." she opened her eyes and looked up at him with so much love it made his heart ache, "... but knowing that I'm carrying a life inside me and that this little life was created from our love, Andrew, makes me feel nothing less than wonderful..."

Lost in those sweet brown pools, he gently cupped the side of her head and caressed her cheek, "I love you so much, Angel... So much it saddens me to think I've existed for so many years without knowing you..."

She covered his hand with hers, "We'll have all eternity to make it up."

Andrew crossed the small distance between them and their lips met in another loving kiss. And then, after receiving another round of tiny loving kisses on her face, she snuggled close to him and rested her head underneath his chin. "Are we going to keep up with our plans for today?"

"Well, if you want to rest a little, Angel, it's okay with me, we could do it some other day..." he replied, still with concern lingering in his eyes.

"But I'm fine, I really am, Andrew. Besides, I need new dresses, almost all my clothes don't fit me anymore... And I have to steal your tee-shirts to sleep!" she joked, causing him to laugh openly.

"Okay, then, Angel. I made your breakfast and then we can go out and do some shopping."

"You know what, Andrew? We can spend a typical human day! Do the things that humans usually do and go to the places where they use to do whenever they have some time off. That could help us with our assignments, we could understand them better, you know?"

Chuckling, he nodded his head obediently, "Now that you've mentioned it, Monica, you're perfectly right!"

She gently disentangled from his loving embrace and sat down in bed with an excited expression on her face, "So what are we waiting for? Let's get going, otherwise we'll be late!"

Highly amused, he helped her to get out of bed and once she'd had a shower and a big breakfast, they left the apartment where they were staying at and Andrew drove them downtown.

Hand in hand, Monica and Andrew walked along the nearest shopping mall, observing with angelic eyes, the many different people passing by. As much as they tried to understand the human mind, sometimes it seemed to be a task too difficult to accomplish.

"Have you noticed that most human beings are always in a hurry even when there's no need to arrive that early at their destination?" the Irish angel spoke, with her usual inquisitiveness.

"It's the 'modern life,' as they call it, Angel," her dear Andrew replied, "there are so many things to do and so little time to do them that it became natural to leave in a hurry; it gives them the illusion that they're saving time."

She stopped looking at the shops around them and gazed at him with a pleased smile, "Because they don't know their own timing lies in God's hands."

Equally pleased, he nodded his head and took her hand to his lips, "You're such a wise little angel, you know that?"

Monica wrapped her arms around his right arm, "I wish they could spend a day off with someone they love more often. It would certainly bring more joy than hurry to their life!"

Chatting happily they entered the first store as Monica was enchanted with a lilac cardigan, which Andrew thought was perfect for her. They were warmly welcomed by a lady who was probably in her late sixties. "Good morning, may I help you?"

"Good morning. Yes, please, I'd like to see that cardigan on the display. It's so beautiful and I love the colour," Monica replied.

"Yes, it's beautiful indeed. I'd suggest you to buy it along with that blouse and jeans but I can see I'll have to postpone the suggestion for a few months!" the saleswoman joked, looking at Monica's belly and causing the couple to laugh.

"Well, in fact my clothes are getting a little 'out sized' and that's why we came here."

"We're also looking for a shop of pregnant women's clothes," Andrew added, standing right next to Monica, with the permanent protectiveness all over his face.

"Oh, there's one on the third floor." She replied, handing Monica the lilac cardigan.

"Look, Andrew. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, Angel. It sure is."

The saleswoman looked at them and smiled, "A husband who goes shopping with his wife and is in such good mood is rare nowadays!"

They laughed again and the blond angel nodded, "Actually it's the first time we do that... But I treasure all the time I spent by her side," he said, as Monica squeezed his hand in reply.

"How many months have you been pregnant?"

"Five. And this little one is growing up fast!" the Irish angel looked at her beloved Andrew and they exchanged a loving gaze.

"Well, I admire somebody who has the courage to raise a child in a world like this!" It was then that the Irish angel could detect a certain bitterness in the woman's voice. "Although it's hard to live in it sometimes, this world can also bring some good surprises."

"I'd say it can bring many unexpected events. 95 of them are unpleasant things." She replied, but then she changed the tone of voice again and forced a smile, "Oh, you don't have to listen to this silly old woman anyway! I guess I watch the six o'clock news way too much! Besides, you're lucky to have such a beautiful family!"

Monica and Andrew exchanged a second glance and the little angel gave the cardigan back to the woman so she could wrap it up, "I'd say I've been blessed with a beautiful family."

"And there was a day when we thought it would be impossible to have everything we have today..." Andrew added.

The woman was going to say something else but she seemed to change her mind. Trying not to go on talking, she just gave a short smile and nodded, "And I'm happy for that! You two make a very beautiful couple and I'm sure your baby will be just as beautiful!"

They left the shop a minute later and Monica couldn't stop thinking about the sadness she could detect in the lady's eyes.

"Didn't she seem rather depressed to you, Andrew?" she wanted to know, wrapping her arms around his one and looking at him intently searching for an answer.

"Yes, I've noticed that too, Angel... Unfortunately, most humans seem to be a bit bitter in their life... And forget to look around them and see the world is still worth it."

They also visited other clothes shops for pregnant women where the Irish angel bought a few dresses and some other items, and Monica seemed to so enthusiastic about her little excursion to the mall that she didn't notice time passing by. By midday, however, a slightly tired Andrew checked his pocket watch and decided to make a stop even if his sweet angel girl wasn't willing to do so.

"Angel... Aren't you tired?" he asked, as she observed the display of a baby's shop with curious eyes. His voice seemed to take her back to the world again and she looked at him with a gentle smile, "Well... I'm not exactly tired, Andrew, but I can say I'm a bit hungry..."

"Good! Then we'll have a break from this shopping thing and you're coming with me, Mrs! We'll have a typical human lunch, are we understood?" he said gently guiding her to the nearest restaurant.

"Yes, sir!" her amused giggling was definitely the best reply he could ever get. "In fact... I guess things are really starting to become way too human around her!" she joked, looking purposefully at the bags full of lady's clothes he was carrying.

Laughing, he cupped her chin and placed a tiny kiss on the tip of her nose, "Human or angelic life style, I wouldn't change I for anything if I have you by my side!"

Lunch time was a pleasant, joyful one with the couple of angels chatting happily for over an hour. Andrew treasured every moment in his sweet angel's company, committing to memory her gentle, delicate manners, secretly wishing those happy moments spent with her would never end.

When the waiter brought the bill Monica looked at their surrounds observing the people around them with inquisitive, curious eyes. One of them called her attention: in a corner, the old lady from the first shop they visited had just finished her lunch and now was staring at an invisible point right ahead of her. The expression on her face was a heavy, sad one and when the waiter approached her, she paid the bill and left the place with slow, heavy steps. Monica remembered her early comment about how humans were always in a hurry for everything and frowned a little at the realisation that that old lady was an exception.

Andrew's voice, however, made her avert her eyes from the stranger and when she looked again the woman was gone.

"Angel?" Andrew's questioning gaze mad her sigh deeply, not wanting to worry him, "I'm sorry, Andrew. I got a bit distracted."

"Are you alright?" he wanted to know, taking her hand. She squeezed his own hand and gave him a slight smile, "I am, I promise. It's just that... Well, I saw the old lady from the first store we visited and she seemed... so distant, so incredibly miserable..."

"Would you like to talk to her?" he said, offering her his hand so that she could stand up.

"I'd be happy to, actually."

They left the restaurant quickly but once there were outside, there was no trace of the sales woman.

"Oh, we've lost her... maybe if we went back at the shop we could find her there," the blond angel suggested, and then Monica looked at the many bags h was carrying, "Why don't you take these to the car, Andrew? I'll go up at the shop and look fore her, it's not far from here."

"Monica..." it was evident he didn't like the idea, but then she caressed his handsome face and looked deep inside his dark green pools, "I'm alright and I couldn't feel better! Please, trust me."

Sighing deeply, and knowing he'd just lost a batter, he nodded his head, "Alright. But this angel here will meet you at the shop in just a few minutes!"

Her smile grew wider and she stood on the tip of her feet to brush a loving kiss on his lips, "This angel here loves you very much!"

Her cheerfulness made his worries finally vanish, and he smiled down at her, "Funny I was going to say the same thing about you!"

He kissed her lips lovingly and then both angels went into different directions.

X

Looking around her and hoping to find the saleswoman, Monica walked along the shopping center corridors up to the shop where she'd bought the cardigan. But she didn't have success in finding the old lady, and after being informed that "Mrs Carter" was still in her lunch time, the Irish angel left the store with disappointment all over her face. "I just felt I needed to help her, Father..." she whispered, sighing deeply with disappointment.

With no other option, she remained in front of the shop, waiting for Andrew and occasionally looking around her, still hoping to see the woman nearby. But then something totally unexpected happened: Monica suddenly started to feel a familiar sensation of sickness taking over her human form. "Oh, good Heavens..." she whispered, and quickly covered her mouth with both hands. She practically rushed to the nearest ladies' room, thinking about how worried Andrew would be once he arrived at the arranged place and didn't find her. But the situation was urgent and there was no time to warn the blond angel.

Monica soon bolted through the toilet door and, five minutes later, the Irish angel was already washing her face, a lot more relieved but frowning at how pale she looked. It was really curious that such a terrible sensation of sickness could make her feel so blessed. There was a little life growing inside her: every time she thought about it she couldn't help but smile and thank God for that special present.

Monica was wiping her face and almost ready to leave the ladies' room when she heard a sob. It was almost unnoticeable but it allowed her to detect where it was coming from. One of the toilets door had been left ajar and Monica just had to push it a bit more to find the lady from the shop sitting on the toilet lead, holding a bottle of pills and crying non stop.

"Madam? Miss Carter? What... what happened? Are you in any pain?" she quickly wanted to know, though the woman desperately tried to hide the medicine away from her.

"Please, leave me alone..." she replied, averting her eyes from the young lady who had just arrived. But Monica soon realised what the woman was trying to do, and she swallowed hard, trying not to panic.

"Did... did you take those pills? Please, tell me if you did, madam, I can go and find help-"

"Didn't you hear what I said? Go away! Go back to your husband and to your wonderful little life! And if there's really a God, then pray that He doesn't do to you what He did to me!"

The Irish angel came closer and searched for her eyes, "What are you talking about? What happened to you?"

"I guess someone who has a wonderful, happy life like you do won't be interested in listening to me..."

"There's so much bitterness and anger in your voice..."

"Maybe that's all I have now... My husband is long gone... I lost him in the war, when I was about your age... When I received the news, I was pregnant just like you are, but the shock was such that I ended up losing our child..."

Monica's eyes were immediately filled with tears as she heard that sad story, and deep inside of her, she also felt a bit guilty that she and Andrew had been blessed with so much.

"I'm terribly sorry, madam..."

"My only sister passed away last month and now... now here I am, all alone in this mean, evil world! Why am I still here? What good can I do at this age and with not a single relative to talk to?"

"Mrs Carter, I completely understand all the suffering and loneliness you've been through during your life... But you're not alone..."

"Who is with me, then? God?"

"Yes!"

"Then why don't I feel His presence?"

"Because your heart is closed to Him... Because you've been so angry at the terrible things that happened to you that you never really paid attention to the world around you - not the ugly and sad world you described to me a couple of hours ago, but the world formed by other human beings; there are good people here, Mrs Carter! Wonderful people who are always ready to offer a kind word, a smile and their support... And there are also those who need help... Those who have lost as much as you have during their life."

"I've never met anyone who wanted to offer kindness and comforting words, young lady... And if there are other people suffering as much as I am, then it only proves that God has better things to do other than watching over a few human beings who make no difference to this world." She replied, eyeing Monica for the first time; a sad, nearly empty look.

A few tears rolled down the angel's cheeks as she shook her head, "That's not true... Everyone matters to God! He creates all the human beings that come to this world and all of them are here to make a difference!"

"I'm not one of them... And it's too late to try to convince me otherwise now..." the old lady spoke, finally showing the half-empty bottle of pills in her hand. Monica felt another presence in the ladies' room, and saw that Andrew was there in his angelic form.

"Oh, no... It can't be, Andrew..." she shook her head, not accepting that that afternoon would end up so tragically. The old lady looked at the same direction, but she saw nothing. Her eyes turned to the Irish angel again. "There's no one there..."

Monica was about to reply but suddenly, she placed her hand over her belly and a painful moan escaped her. Mrs Carter watched as the angel in human form knelt on the floor and now held her belly with both hands, "What's happening?" she wanted to know, feeling surprisingly nervous with what was happening to the young lady.

"It hurts..." she said, and to Andrew's despair, he didn't manage to return to his human form. Invisible to the human eye, he knelt right next to her, with despair taking control his soul, "Angel? Angel! What's wrong! Please, talk to me!"

"I feel... pain..." she muttered under her breath.

The old woman was paralysed with shock for a few instants, but then, taken by an unknown strength and will to help, she knelt right beside Monica and placed her hand over her shoulder, "Please, stay calm... Try to control your breath... I'll find help..."

She left the ladies room in a hurry, leaving two angels behind. Through his tears, Andrew lifted a silent prayer, asking for divine intervention.

X

One week later...

"Angel? Are you ready to go?" Andrew's words and his gentle touch over her shoulder took Monica out of her reverie. The Irish angel had been standing by the window, inside the hospital bedroom, and one week after she'd been admitted in there, the angel in human form had received permission to go. She was fully recovered now and apart from a healthy diet and healthy habits, such as resting and sleeping and going for walks - which she was already following, there were no special recommendations.

She looked up at him with the usual warm smile and nodded her head, "Yes."

Andrew was carrying a bouquet with colourful wild flowers and as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear he gave it to her. "For you..."

"They're lovely... Thank you." she held the delicate bouquet in her hands and smelled their sweet perfume.

"You're more than welcome, sweetie..." The blond angel kissed her forehead and then motioned to show her another bouquet, which he had left on the table, next to the suitcase with Monica's clothes. "I bought another one... I guess there's somewhere you want to go before we go to the cabin..."

"You're right, Andrew. Could you come with me, please?"

"Of course, Angel."

The couple left the bedroom on the second floor of the hospital and headed to the elevators, which led them to the forth floor of the same building. There, they walked along the corridor and stopped at the bedroom door number 402. After a soft knock on the door, they heard the permission to come inside the room and Monica turned the doorknob.

"Monica! Andrew!" Mrs. Carter exclaimed, with a smile on her face at seeing them there.

"Hullo, Mrs Carter!" the younger angel spoke, walking over up to bed and giving her the bouquet. "These are for you!"

"Oh, thank you, dear. They're so beautiful!" she gladly accepted the flowers. "Are you leaving already?"

"Yes. The doctor said that everything is fine again and that I'm fully recovered!"

"Oh, but that sounds like great news! To me, and especially to you, right, Andrew?"

"Yes, the best news in the world!" he happily agreed, tenderly caressing his wife's hair.

"How are you feeling, Mrs Carter?" Monica wanted to know, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm recovering, dear. The doctors said I'll leave hospital in a week or two, though I insist I've never felt so happy!"

"It's so good to hear it, you know?" the little angel was so happy herself her eyes were shining with tears of joy.

The old lady took her hands and squeezed them. "I can't even begin to thank you enough, Monica..."

"Don't thank me... In fact, I'm the one who is grateful... To you and to God, for making our paths cross. If you weren't there with me... I don't want to think about what could've happened to me and to our baby..."

There was an expression of wonder on the woman's face, and she smiled and gently shook her head, "It's amazing that I was there trying to take my life away without realising how valuable it is... Only when I saw that you and your baby needed help did I understand the importance of being alive..." after a brief pause, she continued to speak, "You made me realise that I can make a difference, Monica. And for that, I'll be always grateful."

"God loves you, Mrs Carter. Never forget that."

"I won't forget... I know He loves me, now I know that..."

They held each other for a long minute while Andrew lifted another silent prayer of thanks for that happy ending. He too held Mrs Carter and thanked her deeply for helping his beloved angel on that difficult moment, and smiled at the realisation that many years would pass until he met the woman again.

Monica and Andrew left the hospital ready to travel up to the cabin, where they would spend a few days off. But as the blond angel drove along the main street and near the park, his beloved companion turned to him with those pleading pretty eyes and shot him a look he knew from the start he was unable to resist.

"Andrew... Do you think we could stop here and have a walk in the park?"

"A walk? Monica, are you sure you..."

"We could just walk over up to the lake, it's not far from here... I spent so much time at the hospital I just need to breath fresh air again..."

"Wouldn't you like to do it up in the mountains, Angel?"

"It's very beautiful there, but a bit lonely too... I'd like to walk among the people, children and animals..." She covered his hand with hers, "Come with me, please?"

With no other option, he nodded his head and pulled the car over under the shadow of a tree. Then, they left the vehicle and he kept his hand on her back in a protective and reassuring manner, only letting go when she reached for it. The couple walked in silence for a while and when they stopped at the lake, Monica leaned on his embrace and sighed deeply. "Remember when you taught me how to throw pebbles on the water?"

Slightly amused, he kissed the top of her head before answering. "Yes... You were quite an attentive student!"

Giggling, she shook her head, remembering how she failed at all the attempts. "I guess you are in love with me, aren't ya?"

Now laughing openly, he tightened the hold on her a bit more and bent his head to kiss her cheek, "Well, how did you find that out, baby?"

She turned around in his arms so that they were facing each other, "Well, it was a slight impression, you know?"

He bent his head and kissed her lips softly, tenderly caressing her face. "You're right... I'll be in love with you for the rest of my existence..."

The broad smile on her face nearly melted his heart. "Have you considered that soon you will be teaching this wee one how to throw pebbles in the water?"

Andrew felt like the most emotional of the creatures as she mentioned that. One day his child would be there with him, and he would certainly take this little angel to play in the park, have ice cream and throw pebbles in the water, and just to think about it was enough to make his heart ache with so much love. With a few tears in the corner of his eyes and a lump in his throat, he moved his hand and covered her belly, caressing it gently.

"I just can't wait for this day to come..."

Monica moved her hand to cover his own and it was then that something totally unexpected happened: for the first time, the two angels felt the baby kicking. With amazement and perplexity, they looked at each other speechless.

"Andrew..."

"Monica..."

"Did... Did you feel it?"

"Yes..."

The baby kicked again and now harder than the first time, "Oh, Father!"

"It's kicking, Angel! Our little one is kicking!" Andrew exclaimed, with joy, excitement and a turmoil of emotions.

Also crying with happiness, Monica caressed her belly with tenderness. "I guess this wee one is saying that he or she can't wait for this day to come either, Andrew!"

The blond angel knelt on the ground and kissed her belly lovingly, delicately running his fingers over its roundish form. "I'll be here, my little angel... Mommy and daddy will be both here to hold you tight, sweetie... I love you so much..."

Monica caressed his blond hair as he kissed her belly once again, her own heart filled with sheer emotion as the little angel inside her continued to move as if greeting his parents and announcing that days filled with joy were about to come.

Andrew stood up and wrapped his arms around her, in a tight, warm embrace. "God, I love you so much, Monica... You're my entire world, baby... In a way... the reason why I exist..."

Tears rolled down her cheeks at those words and she tightened the hold on him. "I too think that the Father had a greater purpose when He created me, you know... I can't imagine existence without you, Andrew... because it's only with you that it's complete..."

She pulled away and looked deep inside his green pools, her own image was reflected in their spark as a silent love promise, that would remain forever. "I love you..."

Their lips collided again, in another loving caress, which only sealed the surge of emotions that took over their hearts - _three_ hearts beating in the same rhythm, sharing a loving, eternal connection.

To be continued


	29. My gifts

Angel of mine series 

Episode 29: My gifts

_I walk around the sand watching as the sun sets in the horizon, colouring the ocean and the sky with shades of purple and orange. Another day is over and the sound of the waves crashing in the sand reach my ears. It's spring, and along with the nature that follows its course and shows the world what our loving Creator wants for His children, I think about the grace He conceded Andrew and me. I'm eight months pregnant and the little angel I carry in my womb is giving the first signs that soon he or she will be in our arms. _

_We count the days and the hours for this moment to arrive. Every angel dreams about this blessing, and Andrew and I never thought that we would be chosen to generate another angel. As I approach the beach house, I see that Andrew is waiting for me at the porch. I chuckle, imagining that he must have been there for some time, patient as always._

_"Angel," I heard him saying, and on the following second, he was holding my hands and kissing each of them. Then, he looked deep inside my eyes, as if reading my very soul, before bending his head and brushing his lips against mine, "I'm sorry it took me more time that I thought to get back here..."_

_"It's alright, Andrew. I watched the sunset while you were out... It was beautiful..."_

_"I promise we'll watch it together tomorrow," he said, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear and caressing my cheek with his usual tenderness and delicacy. _

_"Are we ready to go?" I asked, anxious to arrive at the party our assignments were throwing. One more mission was fulfilled, and with a happy ending: a blessing every angel asks God when accomplishing His will. Andrew and I had it conceded - but we're always having our prayers answered, and sometimes, when I stop to think how blessed we are, I can't help but break down and cry._

_But I can see he was not so sure about taking me with him. Even though I assured him that everything was alright while he was out, he insisted that I should stay there and rest a little. _

_"Absolutely not, Andrew!" I interrupted him, moved with the permanent concern he holds towards me, "I'm perfectly fine and there's nothing in the world that could make me miss this party! And Thomas and Christine will be upset if I don't go!"_

_I try to hide my amusement as he rolls his eyes, clearly not sharing my opinion and wanting me to stay away from the "dangers of the world" until our little angel is born, even though there are still some weeks for this to happen._

_"Alright... But we'll get back early, I don't think it's advisable to stay awake until late in your condition, Monica, and Tess would agree with me if she was here!"_

_I try to ignore his excessive worry and search for my sandals, left by the porch steps. Being pregnant made me feel nothing less than wonderful, but there were a few drawbacks I still couldn't get used to - my belly grew so much it was difficult to kneel and put my shoes on by myself. With infinite patience, Andrew knelt in front of me and slipped my sandals on my feet, not missing the opportunity to caress them. Then, he looked at me with slight worry, "Are these comfortable enough? Don't you want to get these changed?"_

_"They're perfect, Andrew, really. And you have to learn how to relax more, mister!" My smile at him might have brought a tiny bit of relief to his heart, as I saw him nod and give a slight smile too._

_Then, he placed his hands on my belly - an action that he would repeat every day, and many times a day, even during my sleep. "Hey, little angel! Are you ready to go to the party, huh?"_

_A laughter escaped both of us when we felt the baby kicking, as if replying to his question. _

_"I guess our wee one is saying 'yes'!" My hand stroking his blond hair while he kissed my belly, and our little angel's response to his loving presence finally managed to put his heart at ease, and then he stood up and held my hand, "So, you're ready then?"_

_"Yes! Everybody is ready!"_

_My enthusiasm made him chuckle, and he guided me up to Tess' Cadillac, opening the door for me and taking the driver's seat afterwards. "But we'll get back early, are we understood? You need to rest as much as you can now and it's not good to go on doing 'human things' such as going out and taking long walks," he said, turning the car on._

_Slightly amused with the seriousness with which he'd said that, I placed my hands over my belly and gazed at him somewhat defiantly, "We've been doing way too many human things lately, don't you think, Andrew?"_

_"M-Monica..." Watching as he blushed and the embarrassed expression on his handsome face made me lean to the side and grab his face with my both hands. When I brushed my lips against his, all his unnecessary concern was forgotten and he returned that sweet caress with the same love and tenderness._

_"You are a hopeless little angel, you know that?" My beloved angel of death spoke, caressing my cheek and studying every little detail of my face once we pulled away. In his eyes, and on his warm smile, I could see the reason why I fell in love with him so many years ago. _

_"I love you, too."_

_He crossed the small distance between us and another loving kiss followed - the party could wait for a few minutes more, as in moments like these, time and space seemed to be restricted to a world that was only ours._

_Some time later, we arrived at our destination. Our assignments' house was not far from the beach, and once we got there and I saw all those happy faces, I immediately sent a prayer of thanks. Being surrounded by so much happiness was a privilege that every living creature, either human or angel, should always experience, and I also prayed that one day this should become a reality to every soul on this Earth. _

_My beloved Andrew took me out of my reverie, gently rubbing his hand on my arm, and I could see the amused look in his eyes as he spoke close to my ear. "My beautiful dreamer," he calls me, and I return his smile, thinking about the strong connection we shared since from the moment we first met. Hardly did we know how deep and intense it would become as the years went by._

_Unlike many other assignments, we didn't reveal ourselves as angels to the ones we were helping. Besides, due to my condition, I couldn't return to my angelic form until the new angel I was expecting was born. Nevertheless, God's presence could be felt in that house. He was blessing His children, and whispering in their hearts a message of peace and hope, and I know that someday Thomas and Christine will wonder if they have been visited by His messengers._

_And despite Andrew's insistence that I had grown way too many human habits, he was not aware of his own behaviour: his angelic heart was full of worries typical of a first time father. As soon as we arrived there, he was quick to find me an armchair and made sure I was comfortable. His protectiveness towards me started long ago, though. Ever since our loving Father made our paths cross, I could always feel caring green eyes following me wherever I went, and my heart started to beat for a certain angel who had definitely become a part of who I am. _

_We two are one, a whole, a unity. And the little angel I am carrying with me is the living proof of our immense love._

_A birthday was being celebrated in there, and, along with joy and laughter, there was music filling the air. As much as I wanted, I didn't dare to sing. I knew pretty well my abilities were not to be shown in public - even though they served to amuse Andrew, as I could always detect a smile in the corner of his lips whenever I thought he was not close enough to hear me humming a tune. He would even say that he liked listening to me, as "my singing meant I was happy," but my dear Andrew was not only a caring and loving angel, he was also a gentleman. Besides, how could I not be happy if I had him by my side along with his love?_

_As slow music begin to play, a happy memory came to my mind: years before, at a bar called "The sign of the dove," I swayed in the arms of my beloved angel, lost in the magic of the moment and in his tender green eyes, who gazed at me with nothing but pure love reflected on them. We had danced other times, and all of them were etched in my heart forever, but on that occasion our bond seemed so intense that I couldn't let go of his loving embrace - and he made no motion to let me go either. Andrew and I went back Home together, in each other's arms, and for the first time I realised, or just admitted to myself, the great joy his presence brought to my heart._

_All those memories caused me to feel an urgent need to dance and someone seemed to sense it almost immediately. Biting my lips, I soon noticed his tender gaze: he was practically reading my thoughts. My smile at him, and probably my pleading face, caused him to walk over up to me, equally smiling. Andrew knelt down in front of me and took my hand, kissing its back without turning his eyes away from mine. "May I have this dance?"_

_Smiling broadly, I nodded my head, "Sure..."_

_Andrew and I walked up to the middle of the large hall, where other couples were already dancing. Then, he wrapped one of his arms around my waist and held my hand with the other one, kissing my hand one more time, and then holding it close to his heart. As our foreheads rested together, and we started to sway, the world seemed to freeze once again. He conducted me with the soft melody and I felt lost in the safety of his arms. Occasionally, I could hear some people saying that we made a perfect couple, and pleased to see how elegantly we danced. _

_I was happy to hear those comments - I was always happy at the statement that we were a couple, and even now, it still sounded new to me. But when Andrew's voice reached my ears I forgot about everything else again. "I love you so much, Angel..."_

_I wish I could tell him of all the joy he brings to my heart and how much I love him. But then, again, I failed to do so. But the tears that fell down from my eyes probably managed to transmit my thoughts because my beloved Andrew reached out to wipe them away, smiling at me with the typical complicity of those who didn't need words to express their feelings. _

_His warm breath and the contact with his lips kissing my forehead made me sigh with contentment. I raised my eyes and looked deep inside his green pools, "You're my eternal gift."_

_He bent down and kissed me softly and tenderly. When I rested my head against his shoulder, my lips turned into a broader smile, and a small giggle escaped me. Noticing his questioning gaze, I looked up at him again. "I have to inform you that someone else is dancing too!"_

_Andrew let out a small laughter, and couldn't help but stop the dance to hold me tight, tenderly caressing my belly and feeling our baby moving. His heart was bursting with joy, and all I could do was thank for those two precious gifts, which I will treasure for the rest of my existence._

To be continued


	30. The meaning of love

Angel of mine series 

Episode 30: The meaning of love

When Andrew arrived at the beach house, Monica was already fast asleep in their bed. She was nine months pregnant now, and the nervousness and anxiety of the so much awaited day made her easily tired. He had just finished his assignment, and on the following day, the couple of angels, along with their dear Tess, would go to town, to stay closer to a hospital. As Monica was in human form, she would give birth like any other human being, and all the necessary care was required so that she and the little child she was expecting were fine.

Silently, the blond angel removed his shoes and climbed in bed next to her, and then repeated every night's ritual. With his eyes sparkling with love, he would stare at her sleeping face for long, peaceful minutes. Then, with infinite care, Andrew reached out to remove a strand of hair from her face, and chuckled at her habit of stealing his tee-shirts - as her night gowns did not fit her anymore.

But his loving presence, combined with the soft touch of his caresses caused her eyes to open, and a heartbeat later, the Irish angel was smiling at him. "Andrew?"

"Shh... go back to sleep, angel..." he whispered, wanting her to rest as much as she could. But Monica didn't obey his request; instead, she inched closer to him until she'd left her pillow and was resting her head over his chest.

"_We_ sleep much better this way..." Sighing with contentment, she turned to look at him. All his protectiveness, care, devotion and unconditional love were evident in the spark of his green pools. And all that along with his kind smile made her heart skip a beat with so much love. With infinite tenderness, he laid a gentle hand over her cheek and bent his head a little. "I too sleep much better having you two right here with me..."

A second later, their lips met in a long, languid kiss, as he wrapped his arms around her body; treasuring that sweet caress after a day filled with all sorts of sad events. Monica's loving nature, her beautiful and delicate features, her perfume and her soothing voice had the power to wash away all the distress and sorrow that would take his angelic heart once in a while, due to the difficult assignments he had to fulfil. When they were on Earth, in human form, the little Irish angel was his Heaven.

"Angel... I love you so much..." he whispered, trailing kisses on her face up to her forehead. "It's always an honour to do the Father's work and escort His children Home, but some days are harder than others... And it's on these moments that I think about what I have... and then I long to be by your side..."

Monica tightened her hold on him, listening to his steady heart beats. "You're sad... and worried, I can feel it..."

Sighing deeply, he rested his cheek on the top of her head, staring at an invisible point right in front of him, "You're the only one angel who knows my heart and my soul, aren't you, Monica?"

"Tell me, what is it?"

"I'm... I'm sad because I had a hard day... How can the human race be so evil sometimes? As much as I know my duty is to escort God's children to their Home, it hurts too much to see the ones who stay... the ones who are separated from a loving parent, wife or husband... And when this happens in a violent way, as a consequence of a human being's action, it's... unacceptable..."

"I know... For many times I caught myself angry at the world and at the human race... For many times I wondered if the world our Father created wasn't spoiled by man's insanity... by the evil that man allows to enter his heart so easily..."

Never stopping the slow movement of his fingers caressing her hair, he kissed the top of her head once again and nodded, "Some years ago I used to believe that I'd learned how to deal with it... but then..."

She moved again to look up at him, gently laying her hand against his face. "Oh, Andrew... You're carrying such a heavy burden in your heart... Please, don't do this to yourself. Love in its essence is holy. It comes from God Himself, as a blessing either to humans or to angels... Our love is exactly like the love inside the human beings hearts: the unconditional, unselfish love of God. And be sure that there are people out there who have a great capacity to love; people who have a kind and compassionate heart and are always ready to help."

"I know that, Angel... It just doesn't feel like right now..."

She kept on looking at him with all her love reflected in her eyes. "Think about all these wonderful presents the Father gave us... Happy thoughts always help..."

"I do... all the time..." he said, caressing her hair and eyeing her with much love.

"Then talk to Him... Remember to always talk to our loving Father, Andrew... There's so much power in prayer; besides, I know He's the one who take away this mix of sorrow and uncertainty there's here..." she pointed at his heart, and he took her hand again, kissing her palm. "... and replace it by much love..."

His lips turned into a small smile. "He already did it, you know. When I met you, my sweet Monica, I learned the true meaning of love... Having you in your mind and heart every second of my existence... Wondering what you're doing... Feeling happy because you are happy, and in deep sorrow when I feel your heart is in pain... And missing you terribly when we're not together..." he touched the tip of her nose and concluded, "No matter how hard my assignments are, the mere thought of you is enough to comfort my soul... And this love does nothing but grow. Everyday. "

Their faces inched closer and they shared a soulful kiss, full of love and tenderness, exchanging loving words through the silent language of their hearts, which beat in the same rhythm.

When they parted, Andrew kissed her forehead and continued to caress her face, "I... I guess I'm feeling like this because... Well... In part because I just wish I could stay close to you and this little one... I miss you both so much..."

"Tess told me you will be... as soon as our wee one is born..."

"What do you mean, baby?"

Monica straightened her body and gave him a slight smile, "She told me that you'll be with me during the delivery... And that later on, you'll spend some days off, so that we all stay together..."

His face lit up with a broad smile at the mentioning of that piece of news. "Really? I mean, when did she tell you this?"

"Today... And you'll be able to confirm with her tomorrow as she's fast asleep at the room next door!"

"S-she's here? So it means that you're..."

"Oh, no! I haven't been feeling anything different these days, Andrew, so please, be calm. Tess offered to stay with me, once you've been away; we're going to the town soon. She too wants to be close to me on this occasion, but she doesn't know when it'll happen either." She caressed his handsome - and very surprised and worried face, with tenderness, "See? You shouldn't worry about me so much, Tess is here, and she's certainly the closest thing to a mother to me! I have a mother and an angel!"

The blond angel nodded his head in agreement, "Yes, You're much loved baby... But that doesn't stop me from worrying, you know that, don't you?"

"I do..." sighing deeply, she decided to change the subject, "I was at the window, looking at the stars just a few minutes before you arrived... They're so beautiful tonight! And reminded me of our 'classes'!"

"Yes, it's a beautiful night out there, it's even possible to see some constellations. I just wish you could..." his voice trailed off as he realised she was unable to go outside and lie in his arms as they counted the stars and he taught her about the galaxies and the universe. "I'm sorry, Angel..."

But with a kind and gentle smile, she shook her head, "Andrew, you don't have anything to apologise for... Very soon, there'll be _two_ students for you to teach instead of one!" that little joke caused him to chuckle, "Besides, I'm quite comfortable where I am now, you see?"

Returning her smile, he kissed her forehead one more time, "So try to sleep now, sweet angel. I want you to rest as much as you can. And it's past the time you _two_ went to bed!"

"Yes, sir!" Monica playfully replied, before settling her head over his chest.

A few minutes later, when Andrew thought she was already asleep, the little angel spoke again. "Andrew..."

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You're the meaning of my love..."

"I love you too, Angel..." he whispered back, with his voice filled with emotion.

X

The sun was high up in the sky and shining through the window when Monica stirred in bed, in a restless sleep. Andrew had been called on an assignment on that same night, and after kissing her cheek and whispering some loving words into her ear, the angel of death left the beach house, praying to be back soon. Maybe it was one of the reasons why her sleep was far from calm. The Irish angel rolled in bed, frowned unconsciously and then whispered her beloved one's name repeatedly.

All of a sudden, she scared. Panting heavily, Monica sat down with some difficulty due to her huge nine month belly and looked outside through the window. The intensity of the sunrays told her it was far too late. The nightmare she couldn't even remember well was still having its effects on her but when she felt the light movement inside her belly, she all but forgot her worries, and a smile crossed her face.

"So you're up too, right, little angel?" Monica lay a gentle hand over her belly and caressed it with tenderness. "I know... I miss your daddy too, sweetheart... But he had to go just for a little while... Very soon, he'll be holding you in his arms and kissing your cute face."

Feeling hungry, the Irish angel decided to stand up and after dressing her robe, she headed to the kitchen, feeling the taste of strawberries mixed with cream milk in her mouth. And there she found someone very dear to her heart there.

"Good morning, Tess!"

The older angel and supervisor had prepared a big breakfast and for the last hours had been impatiently walking from one side to another, and when she saw Monica, she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Angel girl! Finally! I was about to check on you to see if you were still sleeping! Why took you so long to wake up, baby?" She wanted to know, visibly surprised, and, before the angel replied, she frowned with concern, "A-are you feeling something? Is there something wrong? You're-"

"Tess, I'm fine..." came an immediate reply, and Monica felt somewhat amused with the fact that Tess and Andrew seemed to be in permanent alert state due to her condition.

"Are you sure?"

She took the old angel's hands and squeezed them, "Yes, I'm sure and I'm hungry!" Then, observing that Tess let out a sight of relief, she quickly corrected herself, "As a matter of fact, _we_ are hungry!"

"Well, so what are you _two_ waiting for, Miss Wings? Have a seat! Breakfast is ready!"

"Ah, thank you, Tess!" The Irish angel replied, kissing her dear friend's cheek before sitting down at the table.

"Now you _two_ can have your breakfast and, when you're finished, we'll start packing."

"Packing?" She looked at the supervisor with surprise while she filled a cup with warm milk.

"Yes, we're heading to town today, baby."

"Really? I thought it would take a few more days..."

"Well, considering this..." she pointed to Monica's huge belly, "...I guess the sooner the better!"

Sighing deeply while she devoured a deep red strawberry, she nodded her head, "I guess you're right..."

"Of course I am, I'm always right!" The supervisor replied, matter-of-factly.

Slightly amused, Monica decided not to argue with her dear friend. "I'll go and pack my things... there's not much in fact, but... can we wait for Andrew to come back from his assignment? You know, so that he could go with us too... He loves this scenery as much as I do..."

Tess rolled her eyes with some impatience, "I knew it! Can't you two get your wings away from each other for just a few hours?" The supervisor asked, frowning with some annoyance.

Trying the best to hide a mischievous smile, Monica gently placed her hands over her belly and looked back at Tess. "Well... actually... no..."

"Oh, please, for Heaven's sake!" Twice annoyed, the older angel stood up from her chair and headed outside the kitchen mumbling something under her breath - and leaving a really amused Monica behind.

"You see, wee one? You got yourself a rather grumpy grandma!" Giggling, she nodded, "Yes, I know. I too love her just the same!"

X

Although she remained grumpy for the rest of the day, Tess helped her friend to pack and put her clothes in the car, along with hers and Andrew's. And deep inside, she wasn't mad because Monica wanted to wait for him. It was far too clear that they should be together on that special occasion. What worried Tess was the hour - she didn't want to risk taking the road at night, especially due to Monica's condition.

The Irish angel, for herself, finished to pack the last bag containing the baby's first clothes and some other objects: they were all white, and most of them, cheerfully knitted by Tess, who couldn't wait until the little one was born so she finally knew if it was an angel boy or an angel girl. Once she was finished, Monica lifted the bag and was going to take her to the car when Andrew's voice stopped her from leaving the bedroom.

"Monica!" Her broad smile only lasted a few seconds, as he rushed to her side and took the bag away from her hands. "Angel, you shouldn't be carrying this!"

"It's... it's not heavy, Andrew... I was taking it to Tess..."

"I'll take it..." he lowered his head, trying to escape from her inquisitive gaze. But she placed a gentle hand on his arm and stopped him.

"Andrew..."

Her soothing voice and the way she was looking at him - with permanent unconditional love, filled his heart with a terrible sensation of guilt. Sighing deeply, he placed the bag on the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling the Irish angel for a tight hug, full of emotion.

"I'm sorry, Angel..." he said, in a low voice, and kissed the top of her head.

Monica closed her eyes and prayed for their loving Father, asking Him to put Andrew's heart at ease. "My dear Andrew... I love you so much... I wish I could take this sadness away from your heart..."

"Oh, but you do, baby... Every time I look at you... Every time I think about you..."

She pulled away and touched his handsome face. "So I guess you're having a bit of difficulty removing all this sadness right now..."

Sighing deeply, he lay both hands on each side of her face and brushed a tender kiss on her forehead, "I'm sorry I haven't been a good company..."

Monica used her warm and kind smile to confront his sorrow - she knew that it would always put an extra spark in his green eyes, and Andrew himself had told her so many times. Standing on the tip of her toes, she reached out and kissed his lips as softly as a summer breeze. "Your two angels don't agree!"

Happy to see at least a faint smile forming on the corner of his lips, she reached for his hand and put it on her belly, "See how this little one is always happy when daddy is around?"

Moved with emotion and tenderness, Andrew knelt down on the floor and placed both hands on her belly, "Hey, little angel... I wish you were here in my arms... Daddy can't wait for this to happen... You and your mom are so precious to me... You two bring me so much happiness and peace..."

As he kissed her belly, Monica ran her fingers gently through his blond hair, tilting her head and looking at him with tenderness. "You two will be together very soon, you know?"

He looked up at her a bit confused, "What do you mean, Angel?"

"I was finishing to pack our things, Andrew. We're heading to the town today."

Hearing that piece of news, the blond angel stood on his feet. "Today? So... it means..."

"I don't know when it'll be yet. I told you I'm fine, and Tess said it's the best time for us to leave, while I'm feeling alright."

"Tess is totally right..." he agreed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and looking for any sign of tiredness on her pretty face.

"We were just waiting for you to arrive, so we all go together!"

"Oh, but then I'll pack my things and..."

With a permanent smile, she interrupted him, "I already did this, mister angel of death. Your clothes are in the car!"

"Monica, you shouldn't have done this, I-"

"Oh, I kind of... had some help, if you know what I mean!" she blinked adorably at him, once again melting his heart and sending away some of his sadness, "I guess that, with a little more practice, I could be a good housewife... I mean... a good 'angel housewife'!"

Chuckling, he kissed her lips. "You're definitely the most adorable angel I've even met!"

He grabbed the bag with the baby's clothes and both left the bedroom.

X

The trip along the coast line started as a very pleasant one. Always enchanted with the beauty of the place, the three angels watched as the sun set behind the ocean, leaving shades of orange and purple in the sky. Monica was sitting in the passenger's seat, next to her dear friend and supervisor, while Andrew took the back seat, permanently caressing his beloved wife's hair or kissing her cheek once in a while. And for some time, the blond angel pushed away the sad memories of the latest days and enjoyed his friends' company.

As they left the coast and took the road that crossed the countryside, however, the sky became little by little covered with dark clouds, announcing that soon, a heavy rain would start.

"Hope we get there soon... The weather is changing fast..." Andrew spoke, frowning with concern as he observed the sky.

Tess looked through the window "It'll take one hour more, angel boy... We'll probably get some of it along the way..."

Permanently caressing her belly, and aware of her dearest friends' worries, Monica lifted a silent prayer, asking their loving Father to keep them safe all the way down to the town. A smile broke on her face when she felt the baby kicking once again.

"Looks like our wee one is having quite a busy day!" she joked, looking at Andrew and Tess and watching as they also smiled.

"We're getting there, baby! Soon, you'll get to hear your grandma singing a lullaby to you in person!"

Chuckling, Andrew reached out and covered Monica's belly with the palm of his hand. "She's right, my little angel... Very soon, you'll be in our arms, and we'll be able to hold you and rock you to sleep..."

Monica covered his hand with her much smaller one, and they exchanged not only a loving gaze but also some silent loving words.

The dark clouds made the night fall down quickly, and along came the storm that hit the countryside of the region. The winding road that crossed the valleys became dangerous, making Tess slow down the car. It was deserted and an hour went by without them seeing a single soul around.

"The city is still so far... and with all this rain it'll take even longer to get there..." the oldest angel said, concern written in her eyes.

"Wouldn't it be better if we stopped for a while, Tess?" Andrew suggested, watching as the heavy raindrops hit the window pane, making it difficult to see what was ahead.

"I think you're right, angel boy. I'll find an open area, away from the trees, so that I can pull over and-"

A cry interrupted their conversation, and when they saw Monica holding her belly, their hearts practically jumped. "Tess... Andrew..." Monica's anguished tone of voice only increased their panic and the way she was biting her lower lip left no room for doubt: something was just not right.

"W-what is it, Angel?" he quickly spoke, searching to look at her face.

"I'm so sorry... but..."

For almost an hour, the Irish angel had been the less talkative of them, and both Tess and Andrew assumed she was getting tired of the trip. Yet, now the situation seemed much more serious.

"But what, sweetie?" Andrew desperately asked, even though he already feared her answer.

"Angel girl? Talk to us, baby! Tell us, what's going on?" the supervisor said, immediately slowing down the car speed.

"I'm... I'm feeling so much pain..." she spoke, breathing heavily.

"Oh, dear Father... you're in labour, Monica!" Tess exclaimed, pulling the car break and finally stopping the vehicle.

Andrew ran his hand over his blond hair, not believing that was happening. The most awaited moment of his existence had just turned into a moment of anguish for him and Monica. What would be of his beloved angel girl and his baby in the middle of the deserted road, under a violent storm, and with no one around to help?

"God... it can't be..." he whispered.

"It... might be over soon..." Monica said, gathering all her efforts to resist to the sharp pain she was feeling.

"It won't, baby..." Tess placed her hand on her cheek, studying the expression of pain she could see on her face, and aware of what it meant. "You're in labour... this little angel won't wait any longer..."

"A-are you sure, Tess? It might be a false alarm... maybe if Monica could lie down here on the back seat and-"

Another sharp pain interrupted Andrew for the second time, and when Monica lowered her head and closed her eyes, still holding her huge belly, he knew the old supervisor was right.

"Oh, Father... what are we going to do?" Monica whispered, panting heavily, and feeling Andrew's gentle hand over her shoulder a second later, "Shh... Calm down, Angel... we're here with you, sweetie... And remember that God is also here... You told me yesterday that there's a great power in prayer... I'm praying now... and I know He's listening... He won't let us down, Angel..."

"Angel boy is right, baby, we're here with you and everything will be alright..." Tess said, gathering Monica's hair in a ponytail. Then, as Andrew reached for the Irish angel's hand, she turned the car on. "We'll have to face the storm and make it to the hospital as fast as we can!"

"We'll make it, Angel... our little one can wait just a bit more, right?" he spoke, caressing Monica's face.

"I guess we can arrange that..." she replied, and then looked at him, trying to hide the pain with a feeble smile. "... but I feel that this wee one is eager to be in daddy's arms..."

Their smile only broke when Tess tried to turn the red Cadillac three times, and it didn't work.

"That cannot be happening..." the oldest angel exclaimed, her hands shaking with nervousness.

"Tess? What... what's wrong?" Andrew wanted to know, his heart racing with anguish at that new drawback.

"It doesn't want to turn on!" she looked heavenwards and raised her voice, "And we could use a little help here!"

Monica rested the back of her head in the seat and closed her eyes. "Is this meant to happen, Tess?"

"Calm down, sweetie... If the motor doesn't turn on, I'll go outside and fix it." He said, even though panic was, little by little, taking over his heart, and he had to struggle not to let Monica feel it.

There, on that deserted road, under the most hostile conditions, the three angels turned into humans prayed for divine intervention. The miracle of a new-born angel depended on another miracle, and if anything went wrong, Andrew knew he and his beloved Monica would become some of the saddest souls in the universe.

To be continued

PS. And I do promise I have half of the sequel written, and that I'll post it very soon (next week, is it good?), so that you won't have to wait for it another couple of months! lol


	31. Little angel of mine

Angel of mine series

Episode 31: Little angel of mine

In the dark deserted road, under the heavy thunderstorm, the three angels prayed for a miracle to happen. The nine-month pregnant Monica had been in labour for the last half-hour, but much to their despair there wasn't a shelter or anybody to help them now. With his heart filled with anguish and fear, Andrew left the car and faced the heavy rain so that he could try and fix it.

"Try it now, Tess!" he shouted, his voice stifled by the echoing thunders and the raindrops hitting the ground in full force.

The supervisor turned the motor on for the third time, but, once again, it didn't work. Andrew ran his hand through is blond hair, sighing with impatience at how wrong that night was turning into. Thorough the windowpane, he looked at his beloved Monica, who was still biting her lower lip, trying to resist bravely to the pain she was obviously feeling. "Hold on, Angel... I promise I'll take you out of here... I give you my word, darling..." he murmured, looking deep inside her eyes.

"Angel boy, I guess we should try once again, baby..." Tess' voice took him out of his reverie, and once again the blond angel pointed the flashlight to the motor, trying to find the cause for the Cadillac's sudden stop. But nothing seemed to be working that night, and after one more attempt, Andrew gave up and closed the hood with a lot more strength than necessary.

Returning to the car, he made Monica open the window on her side. "Baby... I'm so sorry..." he spoke, taking her hand to his lips.

The Irish angel caressed his handsome face gently, not pleased at all with the fact that he was soaked to the skin and under the heavy rain. "Andrew... You shouldn't be outside in human form..."

The blond angel was moved with emotion: his beloved Monica was worried about him even though she was facing perhaps the most difficult moment of her existence, ignoring her own pain. She had truly an amazing soul, and was the most selfless creature he'd ever met - some of the uncountable reasons why he'd fallen in love with her for the rest of the eternity. "Sweetie... You're surely an angel, aren't you? It's you the one who deserves all the care and attention here, baby, not me. I'll be alright when you are alright."

Now she took his hand to her lips and held it close to her heart. "Then we have a tie here, because I'm only fine when you are fine too..."

"Andrew! There's a car coming! Look!" Tess interrupted their conversation as a light beamed on the rear mirror and the three angels looked at it. Andrew kissed Monica's hand once again and rushed to the side of their car, waving with both hands so that the driver could see them.

"Hey! Stop, please, we need help!" he shouted, while Monica closed her eyes and lifted a silent prayer.

The car driver, however, didn't slow down. Much on the contrary: when he saw the tall blond man standing on the road, he accelerated even more, making Andrew give a step backwards when it passed by. The three angels watched as the vehicle disappeared as fast as it had come into view.

"That was really weird!" the blond woman who was sitting on the passenger's seat spoke, looking at the red Cadillac that was left behind.

"It's definitely an ambush, Melissa. Bet I would stop there and the first thing that guy would do was to point a gun at us, and tell us to give him our car and our money!" the driver said, "Stupid thieves!"

Sighing with disappointment, Andrew watched as the car made a turn and disappeared from his view and ran his fingers through his hair. "We need help... All we need is help..." he murmured, and Monica saw the expression on his face: the same expression of disbelief in the human race she'd seen the previous night.

"There might be another car... There is a reason why we stopped here, I'm sure of that, babies... At this very moment, all we have to do is pray... And trust..." Tess spoke, as he returned to stay by the window at the passenger's side.

"Tess is right, Andrew..." the Irish angel spoke, while the supervisor wiped her sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. Despite the rain, it was a warm night and it was quite hot inside the car. Suddenly, she closed her eyes again, and moaned with pain.

"Monica?" With his heart racing, Andrew rushed to stay close to the window next to her once again.

"I... I guess I'm having another contraction..."

"Shh... don't speak, baby! Breathe... Please, God, help us..." he prayed, almost in panic as her pain was visibly getting worse.

"Angel boy is right... try to speak as less as possible, baby, and breathe..." Even though she was trying to control herself, Tess was as nervous as Andrew, and praying that baby wasn't born in there, in the middle of nowhere.

All of a sudden, though, they realised there was another car coming along. With despair, Andrew practically blocked the road and waved again. "Please! Help us! We need help in here!" he shouted.

Inside the vehicle, a family with father, mother and two teenage children saw him. "Don't stop, daddy, it might be a trap!" the eldest daughter said, somewhat scared with the image of that blond man blocking the way.

"Carol is right... I don't like this at all, Joseph..." the wife spoke, sitting next to the driver, who frowned with concern. "Hum... I don't know.. that guy looks pretty desperate..."

"It's a trap, daddy, he might kill us all!" his son replied, and then, convinced by those arguments, the man accelerated the car. "Okay..."

Once again, the angels were left behind, which only increased Andrew's despair and his lack of faith in the human being.

"Don't give up, Andrew... If an angel loses his faith, then miracles cease to happen..." Monica whispered, knowing that he could hear her words echoing in his heart.

"I need to save you, Monica... You and our baby are at risk and the only ones who can help are turning their back on us..." he replied.

"Some might have turned their back on us, but not our Loving Father..."

He returned to stay by the passenger's door and caressed her face. "I'm so sorry, angel... I... I wish I could do more..."

The tears in his eyes broke her heart and were worse than any pain those contractions could cause her. "Please, don't apologise, Andrew..."

"I should have done this before... I should have brought you before, baby..." he said, caressing her face and watching as she fought against the pain.

"Everything happens for a reason... If this is happening to us, then we must wait and see why... Besides, you're here with me... And that's the most important..."

She was going to say something else when her soft brown eyes turned away from his green ones, as something on the dark road called her attention. "Andrew... Tess..."

Her dearest friends followed her gaze and saw that two people came along the shoulder of the road. One of them was a man, dressed with poor, humble clothes. The other one, a woman, equally wearing old garments. And as the couple came closer, both cuddling together under an umbrella, the angels could see they appeared to be field workers, and certainly had been walking for a long time.

"Hello..." the man greeted, both of them frowning with concern at the image in front of them. "... is there a problem with your car, sir?"

"It... it broke, and-"

Before Andrew could go on talking, the woman came closer and saw Monica. "Oh, my goodness... She needs help!"

X

"... come on this way, we're not far..." Mrs Lopez said, as Andrew and Tess followed her and her husband. With a fiercely protective look in his green eyes, Andrew was carrying Monica in his arms, praying that the house was not far from the road where the couple had found them. "... it was God who sent us here tonight... We were supposed to finish the work at the farm earlier..."

"I'm definitely sure He was the one who made our paths to cross, Mrs. Lopez." Tess spoke, attentively looking at the narrow trail they were following, in between the bushes and tress spread along the way. Her heart was filled with sorrow to see how quiet and miserable Andrew looked. With his eyes focused on the path ahead, he kissed his wife's temple and prayed in silence, though his anguish was written all over his face.

"There it is!" Mr Lopez pointed to a small house just a few steps away from them. "Our children are waiting for us." The lights in the small porch and inside were on, and once they were closer it was possible to notice how poor and in need of repairs the small house was. The doors and windows needed painting and the grass around it had to be mowed. The small roof over the porch had a few shingles broken, and the water was dropping on the old wooden floor.

"Juan, Emilio, open the door!" their mother shouted, and a second later, a dark-haired boy appeared at the window. "It's mom and dad!"

The door flung open right afterwards, and they saw another boy, a bit older than the first. "Mom..." he said, he, his brother and his little sister who was sitting on a chair watched with questioning faces as their parents and the three strangers entered the house.

"Please, come on in... Our house is small, but I promise we'll help you to have your baby, Monica..." the woman spoke, as Andrew placed her on the old armchair next to the window. He knelt right beside it and kept an arm wrapped around her shoulders and held her hand in his own.

The Irish angel managed a small smile, "Your house is perfect... Thank you, Mrs Lopez..."

"Hold on just a moment, I'll get our bedroom ready for you!"

"I'll help you out, Mrs Lopez," Tess offered, and both headed to the humble bedroom - one of the four rooms there were in the house. Meanwhile, Mr Lopez explained his children what was happening and that they all could help Monica and her little baby. The two boys rushed to get some towels and bed sheets, as their mother had instructed, and Mr Lopez went to bring some fresh water.

His youngest daughter, who appeared to be around five, remained sitting on the chair, holding an old fabric doll and looking at Monica and Andrew with curiosity. "Are you really going to have a baby?"

The couple looked at each other and Monica nodded with a smile, "Yes, sweetheart..."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" she wanted to know, smiling at the positive answer.

"We don't know yet, honey." Andrew replied, feeling himself the expectation to have his child in his arms.

"Oh, I see... Well, will I be able to play with him or her?"

Despite the pain she was feeling, the Irish angel's smile grew wider, and she and Andrew looked at each other once again, "What's your name, sweetie?" she wanted to know.

"Maria..."

"That's a beautiful name you got, Maria!"

"Thanks, mister!"

Monica caressed her belly and then looked at the girl once more. "Maria, I don't know if this little one will be a boy or a girl, but I'm definitely sure he or she will love to have such a pretty little friend like you!"

The little girl's smile, along with her expressive big brown eyes and straight dark hair, were captivating and warmed the angels' hearts for a few instants, and only a new contraction could interrupt that conversation.

"Hold on, Angel... hold on a little more..." the blond angel whispered, squeezing her hand firmly. It was then that Mrs Lopez opened the bedroom door. "Everything ready! Please, Andrew, bring Monica in!" the woman commanded.

He immediately gathered his wife in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, where Tess and Mrs Lopez were already waiting for them. Mr Lopez and the children remained in the living room, praying that everything would go well for mother and child.

With infinite care Andrew lay his beloved Monica in bed and sat down at its edge, right next to her, permanently holding her hand. He remained in silence, though, trying to hide his nervousness.

But the Irish angel knew his heart better than any other living creature in the universe. Turning her eyes to him, she smiled reassuringly. "Everything will be just fine, Andrew... The Father is watching over our baby and me... I know..."

Moved with emotion, he kissed her forehead and placed her hand close to his heart. "I am supposed to be telling you this, Angel..."

"I know, it's your job... But I'm glad we both have the same occupation..." she whispered at him, as he kissed her face again.

All of a sudden, Monica's cry echoed inside that small and poor house: the contractions were more powerful each minute and realising that they wouldn't be over anymore, Tess placed a supportive hand over the angel's shoulder. "You'll have your little baby, angel girl. And we will help you!"

"Tess... I'm so sorry... I should have listened to you first, and-"

"Baby, you and I know that things happen when they are supposed to happen... And I'm thankful that Andrew and I are here with you!"

"Tess is right, Monica. And, though we don't have much, my husband and I want you to feel as if you were in your house..." the woman placed her hand over Monica's shoulder and smiled friendly.

"Mrs Lopez... I... I don't know what to say-"

"Then don't say anything at all... Tess and I will take care of the baby... And Andrew will take care of you!"

X

Andrew put a wet cloth on her forehead and frowned with concern at the pain that was evident on her face. Two hours had passed since she had started to feel the contractions and, so far, her suffering and struggle to give birth hadn't produced any result. "Breathe, Angel. I'm here by your side all the time, I won't let anything happen to you... You can make it!"

"I know..." she said, half crying, and half smiling. "I love you so much..."

"I love you too, baby..."

Tess looked at her dear friend. "Now, Monica, I'll count to three and I want you to push, ok?"

The humble cabin was filled with Monica's cries, worrying them as the minutes went by.

"Please, angel girl, you have to push harder!" Tess insisted, she and Andrew feeling very sorry for the little angel who was suffering in that bed. The Irish angel was trying to ignore her own pain in order to allow her baby to come to life.

"I'm trying, Tess!" she replied, catching her breath. Andrew wiped Monica's forehead once more, petrified with the thought that he would have to take her and the baby Home if anything went wrong.

That would destroy his very soul.

"Father, please, help us..." he secretly prayed, "Please, help Monica... I love her so much... I don't want to see her suffering..."

"Another contraction!" Monica cried.

"I'll count to three and you have to push harder, ok?" Seeing her nod, Tess continued to talk, "One... two... three!"

Using all her strength, Monica pushed harder than before and, a second later, a smile appeared on Tess' and Mrs Lopez's faces, "It's coming! It's coming, Monica! Your baby is on the way!"

"Oh, Father... please, help me..." she said, with tears rolling down her face, and trembling body.

Mrs Lopez watched the angel's suffering and conjoined her hands. "Please, God, please, help Monica and the baby..." she prayed, in a low voice. But Tess' voice interrupted her prayers.

"Mrs Lopez, bring more water, please!"

She obeyed her command immediately and, while Monica recovered from her last effort, Tess continued to speak words of encouragement, "Keep on, angel girl, you're doing great!"

"Tess is right, Monica! I have faith that very soon your baby will be here!"

"Now, I need you to push once more!"

The Irish angel nodded her head weakly. "Okay..."

One more cry of pain filled the air a second later and the angels and Mrs Lopez thought that she would pass out. But, all of a sudden, another cry echoed inside the small bedroom and, with a broad smile upon her face, Tess held a small baby in her arms, "You've done it, angel girl! Your baby is here!" she exclaimed, she and Mrs Lopez with tears of joy in their eyes, "And it's a beautiful little girl! It's a beautiful little angel girl!"

With tears rolling down their eyes, both Monica and Andrew looked at each other - now smiling broadly at the miracle that had just happened. "A little girl, Angel... A little Monica..." he whispered, caressing his wife's sweaty cheeks.

"Andrew... she's ours... our little baby..."

He kissed her lips and forehead, "Yes, honey... our little angel... Our little miracle..."

Their happiness was shared by Mrs Lopez and soon, by her husband and son, who heard the baby's cries from the living room, announcing the good news.

"Oh, thank you God..." the woman murmured, while Tess cut the baby's umbilical cord.

Tess cut the link that had kept mother and daughter together for nine months and, before Mrs Lopez's and Andrew's marvelled eyes, the supervisor took the baby close to Monica. The little one was still dirty with blood, but the mother's need to see her and touch her was more urgent than anything else. Tess placed the baby close to Monica's face and, with tears of both happiness and pain, she reached out and caressed the little girl's cheek. Andrew, for himself, ran his fingers through the baby's auburn hair, feeling in awe at the vision of his daughter right in front of him, and the possibility to touch her for the first time.

And the new born angel carried much - if not all of her mother's traits. Dark reddish hair and white skin that resembled exactly like Monica's. The future would still reveal the colour of her eyes and her tender and kind smile - another smile that would certainly be etched on Andrew's mind and that would melt his heart for the rest of eternity. Apart from the baby's mother, the blond angel had never seen such a perfect little creature in his existence.

"Hi sweetie... You're so beautiful!" she said, her voice tired and hoarse with emotion, "Mommy and daddy are so happy because you're here!"

"Very, very happy, little one..." he spoke, equally moved with emotion, feeling tears pricking his eyes.

"Look at her... Isn't she pretty, Andrew?"

"She's gorgeous, Angel... As gorgeous as her mommy..." he kissed Monica's lips once again, "Thank you, Angel, for the present you just gave me... I'm the happiest soul in all universe and it's thanks to you... again... and again... and again... I love you so much... So much, sweetie..."

"Don't you want to hold her a little?" the supervisor offered. Weakly, Monica stretched her arms and held her daughter for the first time, placing the baby against her chest, closer to her face. The little one was warm and never stopped crying, which indicated that, despite the difficult and unexpected birth, she was as normal as another new born baby.

"You're a little early, honey... Were you curious to know what's like outside, huh?" the Irish angel spoke, gently stroking the girl's hair.

"I wonder where she got all this curiosity!" Tess said, also crying happy tears, and causing Monica and Andrew to laugh.

"She looks like her mother..." Mrs Lopez observed, smiling when the baby grabbed Monica's finger in her tiny little hand.

With a proud smile, Andrew nodded his head, never taking his eyes away from his family. "Yes... she does... that's why she's perfect... a perfect little miracle, just like her mom..."

The look in Monica's eyes as she met his gaze and offered him the little baby nearly took his breath away. "Do you want to hold her, Andrew?"

"Y-yes..." Moved with emotion, he stretched his arms and carefully took the crying little girl from her. "Hey, my little one... Shh... it's ok, sweetie... it's ok... You're having quite a busy day, daddy knows it..." he whispered, kissing her little head and with his voice hoarse with emotion. "... But it's over now, sweetie... It's over now... You're finally here with your mom and daddy... I love you so much, little angel... so much..."

His heart skipped a beat when the little one moved her chubby arms and grabbed his finger, just as she'd done with Monica a minute before. Bursting with happiness, Tess took the Irish angel's hand and squeezed it tightly, as both angels and Mrs Lopez watched the fatherly love and happiness evident on his handsome face.

"Did you pick a name already? You just told us you didn't know if it would be a girl or a boy..." the woman wanted to know.

Monica and Andrew exchanged a loving gaze, "Yes... We had talked about it before..."

"We talked _a lot_ about it..." Monica spoke, with exhaustion in her voice, but smiling as she remembered the unusual names she had suggested for that little one.

"Well... yes..." he agreed, quite amused at the memory of those names. "But we came to an agreement... A name that would suit this little one perfectly, in case it was a girl..."

Tess, on the other hand, frowned with some impatience. "And what did you decide, for Heaven's sake?!"

The Irish angel reached out to caress the baby's auburn hair, "We'll call her Angela..."

"Angela!" Mrs Lopez repeated, "Oh, it's such a beautiful name!"

"Angela! Little Angela! It's perfect, babies! A perfect name for this perfect little angel!" the supervisor's lips turned into a broad smile as she heard it.

That stormy night had started badly for the three angels, but the little baby was like a breath of fresh air, bringing happiness back to their hearts. An atmosphere of peace and love filled that humble house and renewed their souls just exactly like a God's miracle would do.

As soon as Mrs Lopez finished to clean the little baby she dressed her with the white clothes that Tess had so carefully knitted, and wrapped her in an equally knitted white blanket. The woman handed little Angela to her father, and Andrew, for himself, placed her closer to Monica. "Hey, sweetie... You got your shower already, huh?"

"Yes... she's ready for the party now!" Andrew joked, enchanted with the new-born angel in his arms.

"And I bet there's an audience out there in the living room who is eager to meet her..." she said. "...especially a certain little girl who couldn't wait to be her friend..."

"Monica is right, baby. Introduce Angela to our guests while Mrs Lopez and I take care of angel girl!" Tess ordered, but the blond angel turned to look at his wife, not really wanting to move away from her side.

"Tess is right, Andrew. Please, take our daughter to play with her little friends. I'll be alright..."

"You sure?"

"Yes... Come here..." as he dipped his head, she placed her hand on his cheek and they exchanged a tiny but loving kiss.

When Andrew opened the bedroom door, carrying his daughter in his arms, the two boys and their father rushed towards him, all of them eager to see the little baby. "Here is little Angela!" he proudly announced.

"She's such a beautiful little girl!" Mr Lopez spoke, glad to see that everything had turned out just fine like he prayed.

"She's so little!" the younger boy exclaimed.

"Of course she is, she's just got from her mom's belly!" his brother quickly replied, "But she'll grow up faster now, just like we did!"

A girl's voice interrupted their conversation and drew their attention. "I want to see Angela too..."

Little Maria moved and left the chair she had been sitting on since the unexpected guests had arrived, and slowly walked towards Andrew - her eyes focused on the baby who had just been born.

"Well, here she is, Maria! Your little friend was eager to play with you!" the blond angel spoke, with a permanent smile. What he didn't notice, however, was the haunted look on her father's and brother's faces.

"Oh, my God..." the man finally whispered, as his daughter came closer to them and Andrew knelt down to show her the baby.

"She's so beautiful!" Maria exclaimed, touching Angela's pink cheek with her fingertips.

"Dad... look..."

"Maria..." her two elder brothers spoke, as surprised as their father.

Only then did Andrew notice the shock and amazement in their eyes, and frowned with concern. "Is... is there anything wrong, Mr Lopez?"

"Maria... my little daughter..." the man took the girl's hands and looked at her from head to toe, not believing what his eyes could see. "... she's... she's walking..."

"I... I don't understand..." the blond angel replied, looking at him and at the boys, searching for an answer.

"Maria never walked... never in her life..." Emilio finally spoke, that revelation came as a shock.

"My wife and I took her to many doctors... we spent the money we didn't have to find a treatment for her, but... they said she would never be able to walk..." Mr Lopez said, with tears of emotion in his eyes as he caressed the girl's face. "... but now... now here she is... It's a miracle! A miracle from God!"

"I wanted to see Angela..." Maria replied, with the simplicity of those who couldn't fully understand what was going on. "... I just felt I could do it..."

"Joanna! Come here! Come here, it's a miracle!" he shouted, while Andrew just looked at his little daughter and at Maria - everything was clear to him at that very moment. Their car breaking down and Monica's giving birth in that poor house weren't coincidences - he knew that they didn't exist, but sometimes it was difficult even for an angel to understand God's mysterious ways.

When Mrs Lopez opened up the bedroom door, followed by Tess, and saw that Maria was standing on her feet and smiling, the woman fell on her knees and conjoined her hands, saying prayers of thanks for the grace she had just been conceded.

Amazed with the second miracle right before him, Andrew prayed in silence. "Father... now I see... I see everything..." he looked at Maria and then at the small baby he had in his arms once again, "... Thank You for reminding me that Your power is stronger than any other evil force... Thank You for reminding me that there are good people in this world... a lot more than it seems..." His lips curved into a slight smile at the reply that echoed inside his heart, "I know... You sent this little angel to remind me of all those things... I'm so grateful for this one more and special blessing..."

He and Tess watched as Mr and Mrs Lopez held their daughter, crying together and at the image of her standing on her feet by herself. The two angels exchanged a look of complicity, aware of the role they had played in God's perfect plan.

X

Tess helped Monica to change into clean clothes and arranged new bed sheets and pillows. With the supervisor's help, she settled down and reclined against the pillows, and due to Monica's incessant questions on what was going on in the living room, Tess had no other choice but to tell her about the miracle that had just happened there.

Then the old angel left the room, so that two other angels who were eager to see Monica could come in.

"Hey... somebody here is looking for her mom!" Andrew joked, knocking softly on the bedroom door. Smiling, the Irish angel stretched her arms as he walked towards her, "I was already missing you both!"

He sat down at the edge of the bed and, after kissing his daughter's forehead, he carefully placed Angela in her mother's arms. The little one was calm and sleeping peacefully. "We were missing you too, Angel," the blond angel said, kissing her cheek lovingly.

"Tess told me what happened..."

"Yes... Our little angel here has just had her first assignment!"

With a giggle and a sob, Monica kissed her daughter's forehead. "Yes... She's a little angel... Definitely a little angel girl! Look at how much happiness she brought with her!"

Andrew caressed their baby's cheek and nodded, equally moved with emotion. "Yes... she taught me a lesson that I'll never ever forget..." he then moved his other hand and cupped her cheek lovingly, "... You two reminded me of the meaning of love. You're both my miracles..."

As he bent his head and kissed her lips softly, Monica let out a small sob and tears started to fall from her eyes. On the following second, she was crying openly, with a mix of loving emotions in her angelic heart.

Andrew moved closer to sit down next to her, so that he could wrap his arms around her shoulders, and kissed her temple repeatedly. "Shh... it's alright, Angel..."

"I wish I wasn't crying like this... it's meant to be a happy moment, and I am happy... but... but I can't help it, Andrew... Please forgive me, but I can't help breaking down and crying every time I think about... about everything we have..."

He caressed her pretty crying face, smiling back at her and wiping away her tears with gentle fingers. "Who needs a smile, when a tear's so full of love?"

Her lips curved in a shy and crying smile as she turned to look inside his green pools. "My dear Andrew... You certainly know my heart better than any other living creature... That's exactly how I feel now... so full of love..."

"Me too... But then... I always feel this way when you're with me..." He kissed her cheek and continued to caress her soft auburn hair. "Rest now, my Angel... You should rest as much as you can..." his face turned serious for a moment, and he frowned, "You know... I wish I could take you two back to the beach house or to the cabin... they're like our home here on Earth; our shelter... I'm so sorry I can't do that right now, baby..."

The smile on her face grew wider as she blinked at him and she gently placed her hand on his chest, "And who needs a home if it's here in your heart that I want to be carried?"

Looking deep inside her sweet brown eyes, and seeing his own image reflected on them, Andrew covered her hand with his own. "I love you..."

With his heart bursting with love and joy, he bent his head and their lips met a second later, in a soulful kiss. That night, the multitude of loving feelings Monica and Andrew felt for each other were materialised in the new-born little angel who was sleeping peacefully in Monica's arms.

To be continued.


	32. Precious moments

Angel of mine series 

Episode 32: Precious moments

_I drive along the winding roads that cross the hills and lead to the beach, and my full attention on the path ahead stops me from admiring this beautiful scenery. Being in human form for a while makes me feel weary after some nights of tension and expectation. On my tired face, however, I carry a smile that will never be erased; and in my heart, a feeling that I never thought I would experience: love in its plenitude._

_I hear a little noise, and my smile turns broader as the reason for all my joy is standing right behind me, in the back seat of Tess' Cadillac. As an angel, I've witnessed all sorts of miracles performed by my Father. Yet, never in my long existence would I imagine I'd have the honour to be granted the most beautiful of them. Little Angela is awake, and in her small crib, she moves her tiny arms and emits some of those baby sounds that reach deep inside one's heart. And my beloved Monica is standing right next to her, smiling at our daughter, and watching over her._

_An angel to watch over another angel. And, God forgive me, but I can't help feeling that they're both mine, like a well-kept precious treasure that I will forever take care of._

_As I finally park the Cadillac in front of the beach house, we get out of the car. My heart is moved with tenderness and other loving feelings I couldn't possibly describe at the vision of Monica taking our baby daughter in her arms and showing her to me._

_"Look, daddy, I didn't sleep! Can't wait to see the beach house!" she jokes, as I bend my head to admire our little one once again. I kiss her forehead and tiny hand, also whispering loving words to her._

_Worried about the wind that constantly blows, even though it is a mere breeze now, I urge them to move to inside the house. Monica enters first, carrying our baby wrapped up in a beautiful white blanket. Angela is wearing a white dress that matches woollen socks and a cardigan, all of them knitted by Tess. Our dearest friend is away on a quick assignment, but she promised she would return soon. In a way, Angela became her granddaughter, and anyone can see she definitely can't stay apart from her for a long time._

_But this wonderful angel of God left us a present. As I enter the house carrying a few bags, Monica calls my attention to a note left on the coffee table. It's from Tess, and the surprise she prepared us makes my beloved angel cry with emotion._

_"Dear babies,_

_I hope you two and my angel baby girl are all fine. _

_As she will spend the first weeks of her existence on Earth, I prepared her a cosy little room so she can have a good time._

_I know she'll love my décor: it's delicate and soothing, like a new-born angel should be. I'm sure she'll have only good dreams in it._

_I love you all._

_Tess."_

_We immediately walk along the corridor, opening the first door on its right. Tess is right: the interior of the room is so beautifully decorated that the atmosphere surrounding it is truly a heavenly one. The wooden furniture is simple but beautiful: our little daughter has a crib, a small wardrobe for her clothes and other utensils, and a cute rotating __mobile__ right above the crib, with flying little angels and fluffy clouds hanging on it. The walls are painted with a soft, soothing shade of yellow, and there are some toys spread on a few shelves, and a colourful carpet on the floor._

_"Oh, Tess... I love her so much, Andrew..." I hear my beloved Monica saying, in between sobs, as she walks into the room carrying Angela. Smiling, I nod and lay my arms on her small shoulders. "I know, angel... I love her just the same... I guess she's the closest thing to a mother to both of us..."_

_We hear another baby sound and, with our hearts bursting with love, we turn our eyes to our daughter, who is moving her tiny little arms. "I guess she wants to say that Tess is the closest thing to a grandma to her!" I add, and Monica lets out a chuckle, which is also a half sob._

_And Angela makes her mother cry again when she slowly opens her eyes and smiles at us: it's the first time she manages to do it, and it's also her first smile. _

_"Andrew... look..." _

_I grin with happiness and kiss Monica's cheek as we notice our little baby is looking at us while she smiles. Although she's still very little, it's possible to notice the dimples on her rosy cheeks and chin; the meek Gaelic features I grew accustomed to admire for hours non stop. I also notice that Monica is blushing deeply, at the same time contented and embarrassed at the strong resemblance between mother and daughter._

_"I am looking, angel... and she's just as gorgeous as someone I know!"_

_She gazes at me apologetically, and insists, "But she has your eyes! See? The beautiful green eyes I love to gaze at!"_

_I move around to stay in front of her and my hand strokes Monica's cheek with tenderness. "Yes... but despite the colour of her eyes, nothing could make me happier than seeing most of your traits reflected on her... She's perfect... a perfect little miracle..." _

_Moved with emotion, Monica nods and kisses our daughter's forehead. "She is..."_

_Angela's smile grows wider as Monica touches her tiny nose with her own._

_"... and I guess now she's saying hi to her mom and dad, and that she loves her room!" I joke, also kissing her little head, and Monica's lips._

_x_

_"... a wee case worker! After all, you've been a caseworker, I am one, her grandma is a caseworker supervisor... I'd say it's in the blood!"_

_As I chuckle at my beloved Monica's conclusions about Angela's future, she turns to look at me half indignantly, half amused. Our little one is peacefully sleeping in her new bedroom, and both Monica and I took the time to rest for a while. In my arms, she rests peacefully, using my chest as a pillow. And despite our tiring previous days, I refuse to fall asleep, as it seems I can't get enough of her beauty and lovely features. How I love her! Words will never be enough to express how incredibly great my love is or how incredibly great she makes me feel._

_"What?"_

_Her inquisitive expression gazing up at me only makes her even more adorable to me; Monica inspires in me feelings that I didn't even know existed._

_"Nothing, angel, I just... I'm just thinking how great it is that we're both lying here and wondering about our daughter's future... Some years ago, I'd say it was impossible..." I caress her pretty face as I keep on talking, "... but I used to think so because I didn't know you..."_

_With her eyes sparkling with love, my dear angel reaches out and covers my hand with hers, leaning on my touch and closing her eyes. Our lips meet on the following second, in a soul-touching kiss. I entangle my fingers through her soft auburn hair and tighten the hold around her body, treasuring that tender moment as if it was the last. That sweet caress became small kisses spread all over her face._

_"I love you..." I whisper in her ear, and she gazes at me with those sweet sparkling pools that always managed to say a hundred loving words to me. "I know..."_

_I take her hand and kiss its back, and caress her face once again, "Rest now, angel..." _

_Monica snuggles close to my body and rests her head over my chest again, sighing deeply__ with a mix of peace and exhaustion; she's very tired too, and I hope she can fall asleep and rest as much as she can. I'll watch over her and our baby, like a loyal guardian. I promised myself I would always do it._

_But soon another sound breaks the silence and Monica's eyes pop open in a second: our baby's cries coming from the other room makes us both immediately alert. My beloved angel's first impulse is to sit up in bed, ready to go to Angela but I stop her. "I'll get her, angel."_

_Although I try to sound calm, I practically rush to our daughter's bedroom, not wanting her to feel upset not even for a moment. As I reach out and gather Angela in my arms, her crying subsides a little, and she looks at me with a cute pleading face that melts my heart away. I kiss her little head and whisper softly to her._

_"Shh... it's okay, little one! It's alright... I'll take you to your mom, sweetie!"_

_As I enter our room, Monica holds up her arms and I carefully deposit our little angel over to her; then I cross to the other side of the bed and climb in again, wrapping my arm around my beloved wife's shoulders, watching with deep emotion as she nurses our little Angela. Listening as she whispers soothing words to our baby, I kiss her temple and speak lowly. "You two look so beautiful, angel... It's possibly one of the most beautiful images I've ever seen in my existence."_

_Monica leans her head against my shoulder and sighs. "It's possibly one of the happiest moments of my existence..."_

_"Of mine too..." I say, feeling a lump forming in my throat._

_We fall into an easy silence, listening to the small suckling noises coming from Angela and the beating of the three hearts. I gaze down at my wife and child, in awe at the beautiful picture of them together, and lift a silent prayer of thanks to our Creator. I know there is a purpose in all this, which will be clear in this little angel's future. But right now all I can do is rejoice for the grace that He conceded me. _

_My smile is still there. And so is a mix of protectiveness and deep love for my two angel girls. My joy is indescribable with words, but can be felt straight into their hearts, because when I least expect it, Monica turns her eyes from Angela to me, her smile matching mine as she speaks. "We love you too... Very much... And forever..."_

_I bend my head and kiss her lips gently.__ Existence couldn't be sweeter._

To be continued


	33. Run to you

Angel of mine series

Episode 33: Run to you

Listening to the constant waves breaking outside the beach house, Monica paced slowly inside a baby's bedroom. A slight smile insisted on remaining in the corner of her lips, as she held in her arms the living proof of her and Andrew's love. Little Angela finally fell into a peaceful sleep after having her "night snack". Two months after her birth, the little angel baby looked more and more beautiful, and her calm and cheerful nature would always bring peace and enchantment to all the ones around her - all of them angels like her.

Adam, Rafael, Sam, and many other angels had paid her a visit, and were equally marvelled at the cute little being that their loving Father had created. Proud as any human grandmother would be, Tess was always around little Angela and making plans for her future as a supervisor and commenting on her "beautiful voice".

But at that very moment, there were only Monica and the baby girl inside the house. Her dearest friend had left on an assignment a day before, and Andrew had been away for weeks, going from place to place all around the world to fulfil his mission as a God's messenger. Knowing that brought some comfort to Monica's heart, but didn't lessen the sadness brought by his absence.

Sighing, the Irish angel kissed the top of Angela's head and observed the shiny silver bracelet on her chubby little arm. She had another one identical to that, and those objects immediately reminded her of the last time her family was reunited.

(Monica's flashback)

_After some protest due to the slight delay on her lunch, little Angela was happily lying in her mother's arms, and while she nursed her baby daughter, the Irish angel listened Andrew washing and tidying up the dishes in the kitchen. She knew that that was one of those moments when we think existence couldn't be sweeter and wondered how much time that pleasurable routine would last._

_Andrew entered the room moments later; smiling and visibly moved at the scene before his eyes he knelt in front of the armchair where Monica and Angela were, and tenderly caressed their daughter's auburn hair._

_"Looks like someone is very happy!" he exclaimed, chuckling at the pleased expression on her meek face._

_"I'm afraid it's not only this wee one here who is having a nice day, you know, Andrew..." Monica replied, "... It's all so perfect..."_

_Still with a slight smile, he was going to say something else when Angela finished her meal, and now she moved her tiny arms and made a baby sound in an attempt to call her parent's attention._

_"Looks like it's your turn now, 'daddy'!" Monica joked, and carefully handed the baby to him. _

_The blond angel forgot what he was going to say and grinned proudly at the little angel that was now in his strong arms, "Hey, my little one! You wanna chat too, don't ya?"_

_Overwhelmed with emotion, he laughed when little Angela smiled at him, as if replying to his question._

_Monica watched with permanent tears of happiness in her eyes as her beloved Andrew rocked the baby girl, who had found in his strong chest a comfortable place to rest._

_"Tess told me that soon, her angelic nature will be stronger and she'll be able to go Home with us, you know, Andrew?" she said, tilting her head as she observed them._

_"Yeah, she's growing up fast! It looks like it was yesterday that we brought her here!"_

_"And all these days have been some of the most beautiful days of my existence..."_

_He looked deep inside her sweet brown pools, always able to see the immense love she felt for him reflected in them, "Of mine too, angel..."_

_Monica remained sitting on the armchair where she used to feed Angela, and watched as her beloved husband paced slowly in the baby's room. They fell into a pleasant silence, occasionally changing one or two words, and chuckling at Angela's cheerful mood._

_"Tess said that she'll be coming here later, as soon as she finishes her assignment. Then wee Angela will have her 'grandma' here too!"_

_Andrew tried to smile, but ended up sighing deeply, and lowering his head for a second - but it was enough for her to realise something was going on. _

_"What is it?"_

_The blond angel looked at her and knew he couldn't hide it anymore. Carefully, he lay their sleeping daughter in her arms once again, and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Angel... I... I received a message just now, when I was tidying up the things in the kitchen..."_

_He saw in the expression on her face when part of her happiness died immediately. Monica's sweet smile faded away and some tears were soon forming in the corner of her eyes. "When?"_

_"As soon as can I say goodbye to my family..." he replied, also feeling a lump forming on his throat in having to go away from them for the first time since Angela was born._

_Biting her lower lip, the Irish angel nodded, and tried to be strong. "I understand... You're a servant of God... and there are people who need you out there..."_

_He moved his hand to caress her cheek with tenderness, "You need me too..."_

_Smiling, despite the silent tear that rolled down her face, she kept on talking, "Oh, yes, we do! We need you so much I can't even begin to measure how much... But every time I look into your eyes, I have the certainty that we'll always have you..." she let out a chuckle which was also a half sob, "... and you don't even have to use words to tell us so..."_

_When Andrew crossed the small distance between them she closed her eyes as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. He brushed his lips against hers lightly, as if enjoying the last precious moments with his beloved angel. It was a small kiss - not the last one, though, as he pulled away and waited until she opened her eyes again. _

_"I... I have something to give you... Something for you two..."_

_She saw it as he searched inside the pocket of his jacket. "You... you shouldn't..."_

_The blond angel showed her a small blue velvet box and, as she was holding a sleeping Angela in her arms, he opened it for her. "I was waiting for the right moment to give this to you..."_

_Inside the box, two sterling silver bracelets, each of them with a heart pendant. _

_"Andrew... they're beautiful... " she said, with a few tears in the corner of her eyes, ready to fall at any moment. "... they're so beautiful!"_

_Returning her moved smile, he took one of them and carefully wrapped it around her wrist. Then, he took her hand to his lips. "Just a little reminder that you two will always have my heart..."_

_As she tenderly caressed his handsome face, he reached up and took the smaller bracelet and wrapped it on Angela's wrist, kissing his daughter's tiny hand and her cute face repeatedly. "I love you, my little angel..."_

_When they looked at each other again, he was already wearing the beige suit, and Monica knew it was time to say goodbye. Without saying a word, he held her and his baby daughter in a warm embrace and their lips met one more time, now in a soulful kiss. _

_"I love you," she whispered, before his image faded away from her eyes, leaving her to wonder when they would see each other again. _

(End of Monica's flashback)

Sighing deeply, she caressed Angela's soft auburn hair and whispered. "I miss him too, wee one... very much..."

She was gazing at the stars through the window, her thoughts all on her beloved Andrew, when a familiar voice was heard inside the bedroom. "Angel girl..."

The Irish angel turned around with a broad smile already playing on her lips to see her supervisor and dear friend.

"Tess!"

"Hello, babies!" also smiling broadly, she held her dearest friend and kissed the top of Angela's head. "Isn't it amazing how this one day and a half away seemed months!"

"Oh, Tess, we're so happy you're back!" Monica replied, relieved that at least part of her family was there with her.

"I'm happy to be back too, angel girl..." the older angel replied, and then turned to the baby peacefully sleeping in her mother's arms, "Aww let me see my little angel girl!"

Chuckling at the way Tess always drooled on Angela, Monica placed the little angel in her arms and tilted her head, admiring the beautiful image.

"Look at her! It's been a day I'm off and she's grown up a little already! Isn't she a bit taller?" the supervisor spoke, smiling at her "granddaughter."

Trying to hold her giggling, Monica took some seconds to answer to that question, "Well... I'm not quite sure, you know, Tess... Being with her all the time sort of... prevents me from noticing these details..."

"Did you feed her already?" She suddenly asked, with typical worry.

"Oh, yes. This wee one is quite satisfied for tonight!"

"Good!" the supervisor spoke, "Then I guess you're ready to go!"

Still amused, the Irish angel frowned, "Go?"

Tess finally turned her eyes away from the little girl to look at her charge, "Yes, baby. I came back here with two assignments: the first one is to hold this precious little angel girl in my arms again!" she looked at Angela once again, and then kept on talking, "And the second is to tell you that Andrew needs you."

Monica's smile faded away and her face was now clouded with worry, "Andrew? What happened? Is he alright? I'll..."

"Oh, Angel boy is just fine! Nothing bad happened, baby!" the supervisor quickly put her heart at ease, "Andrew just needs a little help with his assignment, and you are exactly the one to go to him. There's been a new development and now this assignment requires two angels to be accomplished, and you two are the ones to do it."

Monica heaved a sigh of relief, a lot calmer now. "I'll do anything to help him, Tess, but what about..." she was looking to her daughter with concern.

"Are you kidding me? I'll take care of my little angel girl!" the old angel grumbled, frowning slight indignantly, and causing Monica to smile again.

"Would you, Tess?"

"What do you mean, 'Would you, Tess'?! That baby is my baby girl too! I'm forever assigned to taking care of her!"

Giggling, Monica gave two steps and kissed her cheek - there was no one she and Andrew would trust more to watch over wee Angela than that dear and wise friend, who they loved as a true mother.

"Thank you, Tess!"

Forgetting about her previous worry and with her attention back to Angela, she spoke again, "You can go now, angel girl. Tess will take care of this precious little angel, and will sing a song for her to have only good dreams!"

Monica was going to say something else but the supervisor was now pacing slowly with the baby in her arms, so entertained with what she was doing that the Irish angel elected not to disturb her. With a mix of amusement and emotion, she watched as Tess sat down on the armchair close to the crib and started to sing a lullaby. Her voice low and so soothing that no one could ever doubt it was an angel singing.

Smiling, Monica came closer to them and kissed her daughter's cheek, "I love you, sweetheart..."

A moment later she was gone, leaving the old supervisor with one of her favourite tasks: taking care of little Angela.

X

When Monica reappeared she was in the steps of an elegant hotel. A very important event was happening there, judging by the expensive cars parked outside and the elegant guests that were entering the modern building. For a moment, she felt lost: her clothes - a light lilac dress, a white cardigan and beige sandals, weren't appropriate for the occasion, and Andrew wasn't anywhere around.

But suddenly, she heard one of the security guards talking to her, "Your invitation, please, madam..."

She turned around ready to apologise but, before she knew it, there was a golden envelope in her hands. "I... here... here it is..." Monica spoke, giving it to the man, who immediately authorised her entrance in the building.

The Irish angel soon realised where the other guests were going and followed on the same direction. Soon, she was standing at the entrance of a luxurious hall, with a red carpet spread along a marble floor. Champagne was served while people were talking with each other, all of them very elegantly dressed.

A bit confused, she looked around, searching for her beloved Andrew. "Dear Father... why am I here? Please, send me a sign..." she whispered, giving some steps towards the hall.

And from a certain distance Monica finally saw a tall blond angel, with the sparkling green eyes and kind smile that had captured her heart forever. Andrew was wearing a black tuxedo, which made him look even more charming to her. He was talking to some other people and didn't see (or even know) that she was there. And Monica, for herself, didn't make any movement to come closer to him. Her beloved Andrew was so amazingly handsome and elegant that she elected to stay there and admire him at a distance. With a slight smile playing on her lips and brown eyes shining with love, the Irish angel placed her hand to her heart and sighed. Watching him speak with the usual charisma and kindness, added to his strong masculine features made her fall in love with him all over again.

She could have stayed there for some moments more when a voice suddenly took her out of her reverie.

"He's really attractive, isn't he?"

Monica turned to look to her side and saw a pretty young woman, also elegantly dressed and holding a glass of champagne. "I'm sorry?"

"Andrew," she pointed at the blond angel, "my boss' assistant. I wouldn't be surprised if this reception at this hotel was his idea. Ever since he started to work here, old Mr Swanson changed the way to see his employees and to control his company. I dare to say he is more... human now..." she explained, with a friendly smile.

"And do you think Mr Swanson's sudden change is because of Andrew's influence?" Monica wanted to know, with typical curiosity.

"Oh, definitely. After he arrived here the atmosphere in the company is different. I heard he'd leave soon, and to be honest with you, the only reason why I came here today was to... try to meet him, you know..."

There was an evident hint of surprise on the little angel's face as her mouth dropped open. It was about _her_ Andrew that lady was talking about, and that sounded at least awkward to her. "Oh... I... I see... And... have you met him already?"

"No. I didn't have luck so far. He's been busy with these new investors all night long!" she spoke, with some impatience, "Do you think I could have a chance?"

"Well... I'm... I'm not sure about meeting him but I don't believe in luck..." Monica replied, and despite the woman's interest on Andrew, she didn't feel exactly jealous or threatened.

The woman finally turned her eyes away from Andrew and looked at Monica with curiosity. "Do you work for Mr Swanson too? I'm... I'm sorry to say that but I guess you were expecting some other kind of reunion when you left home..."

With a slight smile, Monica looked at her own clothes. "Well... I don't work for him and let's say that coming in here was a last-minute decision..."

"Oh, I see... Well, who really knows what's in fashion anyway?" she joked, "Are you here all by yourself? Are you looking for someone?"

"I... Yes, I was looking for someone but I guess he's quite busy right now, you know..."

"Oh, I understand... By the way, my name is Dana."

"Nice to meet you, Dana. I'm Monica." They shook hands with each other, and then looked at Andrew, who was now talking to a young man, also elegantly dressed. The two, along with some other people, moved away to another room and the young lady interested on him saw her opportunity go away once again.

"I guess you're right, Monica. I'm starting to believe luck is something that doesn't exist!"

"Well, yes, but I also believe that people should have a little more patience because what they want is not necessarily what they need. And wonderful things can come from where we least expect it."

"Seems you're never a quitter, Monica!"

"That's what my husband always says..."

"Oh, you're married?"

The smile on the angel's face grew wider, "Yes. And we have a beautiful baby daughter."

Dana returned her smile, truly glad to hear it. "Congratulations then! You're really lucky to have such a lovely family..." she quickly corrected herself, "... or should I say 'blessed'?"

"I guess 'blessed' is the perfect word to describe it!"

The young woman was going to say something else, but a group of four people arrived and waved at her. "Oh, my co-workers are here... Will you excuse me, Monica?"

"Oh, sure. I guess they are calling you..." she said, "And I also wonder if there's coffee somewhere around..."

Dana chuckled, "I... I don't believe they'll serve coffee in receptions like these!"

"I know," Monica winked at her, "I guess I'll pay a visit to the hotel's kitchen!"

They said goodbye and, slightly amused, the Irish angel shook her head as Dana walked away from her. She wondered if her assignment was to be there and talk to that young lady: the few minutes they chatted certainly weren't enough to make a difference in Dana's life, and the fact that she was interested in Andrew only made things a bit more difficult. Monica went away from the hall thinking about how lonely the young woman sounded, and praying in silence for some kind of help.

X

"Hey, Andrew, I'm just so grateful that you brought me to the Swanson's Company!" a young man spoke, approaching the group of young and shaking hands with the blond angel.

"Don't thank me, Bill! Mr Swanson asked me to find people with new ideas to give the company a breath of fresh air and you guys proved that you can make a difference here!"

The other people who were around them nodded, agreeing with Bill. Four young men and three ladies who apparently were at the same age. "He's right, Andrew. If it wasn't for you giving us an opportunity, I don't know where we'd be right now."

"I just wonder how you managed to convince Mr Swanson to give a bunch of guys who just left university a chance! I mean, he's a great businessman, but he's also known as a very difficult person to deal with, to say the least!"

Chuckling, Andrew tucked his hands inside his pockets and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, you just got to use the right words, Bill. You see, everybody needs some help once in a while, even old Mr Swanson. Just be ready to offer your help when you feel someone might need it, even if the person denies it in the first place. If he or she needs it, you'll know it from the start."

"Pity you're leaving, Andrew. Someone like you would sure make a difference here."

"Well, my assignment is over tomorrow and I'm sure you guys will do just fine without me here. Besides..." his lips curved in a broad smile, "... there are two beautiful ladies waiting for me and I just can't wait to hold them in my arms again!"

They laughed, knowing who he was talking about.

"You're one lucky guy!"

"Well, if you ask me, Bill, I don't believe in luck; but you can say I'm very blessed!"

X

A few minutes later, after having a warm cup of decaffeinated mocha, the Irish angel politely thanked the people at the hotel's kitchen - who were all enchanted with her friendly personality, and headed back to the hall where the other guests were. Facing the carpeted floor, she walked with a pensive expression on her face, still wondering why she was there. But suddenly a familiar voice reached her ears and immediately made her heart race.

"Angel..."

Monica raised her head and saw her dear Andrew at the end of the corridor. And, once again, his image caused her to stop walking and sigh: feeling butterflies in her stomach, all she wanted was to be in his arms again - she had certainly fallen in love again. "Andrew..."

A heartbeat later, he was holding her tightly, easily lifting her off the floor a little, intoxicated with the sweet perfume of her hair, and hearing her soothing voice whispering close to his ear, "Oh Andrew, I missed you so much..."

He pulled away and gently lay both hands on each side of her delicate face, and then his lips met hers in a sweet, tender kiss. The way Andrew was holding her - strongly but at the same time with usual delicacy, and the musky smell of his cologne made her knees grow weak; she was limp in his arms.

Small kisses followed this one, and then the blond angel held her tightly once again, not believing that his beloved angel girl was in his arms after weeks being apart. "Monica... angel... This was one of the best surprises I've ever had!"

When Monica finally faced him again, the power of his green eyes nearly hypnotised her, and for a moment words escaped her. "I... was ready to go to bed when... when I was told to be here with you... Tess told me you needed my help..." she finally managed to say.

Not really sure of the real reason why she was there, he chuckled and caressed her meek face, "Well... I always need you, angel... This is a fact that will never change..." He said, kissing her lips softly once again. "How are you? And Angela? Where is she? Did you bring her with you?"

Even though she had a questioning look on her face, the Irish angel smiled at the memory of their baby daughter. "Well, our wee one had dinner and when I left the house she was sleeping peacefully in the arms of another angel, who was singing her a beautiful lullaby!"

Picturing that scene, Andrew let out a contented sigh, wanting nothing but to be there with his family. "God, I missed you two so much..."

"We missed you too, Andrew..." she returned his loving gaze, "... when Tess arrived at the beach house and told me I should come to you I thought... I thought that you were having problems with your assignment, but then... looking at this place... and at you... You're so handsome..." she moved her hands from his shoulders to his chest, admiring his elegant clothes, "... I'm wondering what can be wrong..."

Chuckling, he shook his head and took her both hands to his lips, "Well, it wasn't an easy assignment, but the old Mr Swanson finally understood that money can't buy everything." He explained, "To be honest with you, this assignment is at the end already..."

"But... there was this lady, I thought..." with a confused expression on her face, Monica's words drifted off as Andrew looked at her equally confused - but always amused at the way she put her thoughts in order.

"Something tells me you got yourself another assignment, Monica..." he joked, finding the expression on her face adorable.

"Well, we talked a little and... I guess I'll find out more about her, Andrew, she seemed so... so sad..."

"But you won't get any information if you stay here..." he grabbed her hand, "C'mon, there are some people I'd like you to meet!"

Monica blushed a little and then looked at herself shyly, "Oh, Andrew, I'm afraid I'm not properly dressed for the occasion..." then, she looked at his elegant tuxedo once again; her heart melting with love. "...contrary to you... You're so handsome..."

Chuckling, he caressed her cheek with usual tenderness and then cupped her chin, making her look at his eyes, "You're the one who's beautiful, angel... The most gorgeous angel I've ever seen in my whole existence!" he spoke, committing to memory every little detail of her pretty face: her delicate features and captivating smile, the way her brown eyes sparkled at him and her cascading auburn hair, which was partially tied up, with a few loose strands next to her ears.

Their eyes were locked with each other once again and this time nothing could break their loving gaze. "I love you..." the Irish angel whispered, feeling a pleasant shiver running down her spine when he crossed the small distance between them. When Andrew brushed his lips against hers, all she could do was close her eyes and, with her arms permanently wrapped around his neck, surrender to that sweet caress.

What the couple didn't notice was that the corridor where they were wasn't entirely empty: Dana, the young woman who had spoken to Monica a few minutes earlier, was standing in its corner, and watched that romantic scene with sad blue eyes. Sighing deeply, she turned around, afraid to be seen, and left the corridor in a hurry.

X

Dana crossed the hall where the guests were with quick steps, desperately looking for a place where she could stay alone. Finally, she found another corridor and a balcony at its end.

"I should have known..." she whispered, once she was sure there was nobody around, "Nothing I want seems to be made for me..."

The reception was taking place in one of the floors of that elegant building, and looking from the balcony the streets and cars passing by seemed very small. A lonely tear rolled down her face and then drifted off with the wind. "Soulmates... There's not such thing for me... Guess I'm bound to spend my life alone... as everyone I want already belongs to someone else..."

She remained there for some time, lost in sad thoughts as she watched the shining stars up in the sky. Suddenly, however, a noise took her out of her reverie: Bill, the young investor Andrew had brought to the Swanson's Organisations came into the balcony. At first he didn't see Dana, but when she turned around and faced him, the young man was quick to apologise.

"I'm sorry, miss, I thought there wasn't anybody here..."

"It's... it's alright, I... I was about to leave anyway..." she said, not wanting to face him, embarrassed with her sad tears.

"No, I'm the one who bothered you, I..." he noticed her crying as she came nearer, "Are you alright, miss?"

"I'm... Excuse me..." she tried to leave the balcony but he insisted.

"Please, if there's anything I can do to help... Maybe just talk..."

Dana stopped her walk towards the balcony door and turned around, eyeing him with surprise in her teary pools.

"I'm a good listener..." Bill offered her a handkerchief, suddenly feeling compassionate for that pretty young lady, who seemed to be extremely lonely.

During the time Andrew was fulfilling his assignment, he was staying in one of the hotel rooms. And from the window of his room, standing only one floor above that same balcony, he and Monica observed the couple with a bit of surprise.

"And after all you told me, angel, I can't help saying there isn't such thing as a coincidence..." Andrew spoke, with his arms permanently wrapped around her shoulders.

Monica was resting her head against his chest and nodded. "Do you know that there's a quote that says 'Coincidence is God's way to staying anonymous.'?" she said, "But this is when our job is more useful, you know, Andrew? We are here to reveal Who is anonymous, so that people realise they're all part of a perfect plan, and not the product of a series of disorganised events."

Chuckling, Andrew turned his face away from the young couple, who was now chatting friendly, and kissed the tip of her nose, "I missed this, you know..."

"Missed what?" she wanted to know, eyeing him with childish curiosity.

"Your philosophical remarks about life and what surrounds you..." he studied every little detail of her meek face and caressed her cheek lovingly, "... but then, there isn't one single thing I didn't miss about you, my angel."

"You said you can't leave now..." she spoke, moved with the immense love she felt for him, feeling her heartbeats accelerating just to think about how much she loved him.

A bit sad, he sighed and nodded, "Yes... Mr Swanson has to be sure that the young man there in that balcony is the one to replace him in his company, as he has no family..." he explained, watching his own face reflected in her sweet brown pools.

"I'm not going anywhere either..." Monica quickly replied, gazing at him with tenderness and affection.

Her words somewhat surprised him: Andrew couldn't even believe his dear Monica was really standing there, before him and telling him she would stay by his side, "What if... Angela wakes up?"

"...Our little one only wakes up with the rising sun and I'll be there with her before the day begins, but now..." she touched his handsome face; her fingertips brushing lightly against his lips, "... now I just can't go..."

The blond angel cupped her chin, his lips just inches away from hers, "I guess I... just can't let you go either, angel," he kissed her lightly, briefly, before speaking again, "My angel..."

Their lips met on the following second, and the soulful kiss they shared was followed by many others. He wrapped his strong arms more firmly around her small form and the two angels rejoiced with the fact they would spend the rest of the night there: in each other's arms, whispering loving words and making new promises of eternal love.

To be continued

_PS. Monica + Andrew LOVE_

_:-) sighs I love writing this series! Tee he he!_


	34. Together at last

Angel of mine series

Episode 34: Together at last

It was late at night at the Swanson's hotel. The reception organised to welcome the company's new investors was over, and now only two angels were awake in that elegant and modern building. Monica was resting her head over Andrew's strong chest, and lulled by the monotonous movement of his fingers entangled in her auburn hair.

"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow... I miss you there, at the beach house, you know? When you're away it seems... that Angela and I lack something... it seems that our world isn't complete..." Monica spoke, lying in her husband's arms.

"I know how it feels, angel... And I'll be with you and Angela soon, I promise..." he said, taking her hand to his lips, noticing she was wearing the silver bracelet he had given her weeks earlier.

The Irish angel sighed and her lips curved in a slight smile. "I have so many memories of this house... Our wedding night and honeymoon... Our first reconciliation after our first argument... It was exactly on a Valentine's Day... I'll never forget how you filled the house with dozens of roses..."

" 'I wish I could bring spring to your door' the song says..." he said, also smiling, and kissing her temple lovingly, "I wish I could always do that..."

Monica's smile grew wider and she turned her head to look at him, "You always bring me the sun, mister!" she inched closer and kissed his lips lightly. When she pulled away, the angel let out a small giggle, which made him look at her rather curious, "What are you chuckling at, may I ask?"

"I've just remembered that our reconciliation at the beach house had a cute little consequence, which is sleeping peacefully in her bedroom!"

Hearing that, he laughed openly now, and tightened his hold on her, "Monica, you're adorable, you know that? The most adorable angel in all Heaven!"

"I know two other angels who are adorable... And one of them will ask for me soon..." she said, sighing deeply and nestling her head underneath his chin once again.

"It's true," he kissed the top of her head, "you should sleep now, my angel..."

"With you holding me like this, it won't be so difficult..." she replied, and some minutes later, she whispered again, "I love you..." her eyelids growing heavier as his caresses on her hair never stopped.

She fell asleep in his arms just a while later, and as tired as he was, Andrew couldn't manage to sleep. If days and weeks seemed very little compared to the centuries he had existed, now that he had met Monica, having her away for more than minutes would always bring a terrible sensation of emptiness and sadness to his angelic heart.

Every second of his existence by her side was certainly worth of a lifetime.

Little by little, however, his human form was finally beaten up by exhaustion and he fell asleep breathing in the sweet perfume of her auburn hair, never releasing her from his arms.

X

Shades of yellow and orange slowly started to colour the horizon and the stars were soon fading until they were no longer to be seen. A new day was about to start and before the first sunray crossed the sky, Monica walked over up to the bed and sat down on its edge for a while. The Irish angel tilted her head and watched, with eyes sparkling with love, as her dear Andrew slept away. Biting her lower lip and already missing him by her side, she stroked his tousled blond hair lightly.

"I will always love you..." she whispered into his ear, and then bent down to place a soft kiss on his lips. Then, she was gone with the first sun ray that reached the window.

When Monica reappeared, she was standing by Angela's crib. Feeling a wave of tenderness invading her heart, she watched as the little one slept peacefully, and moved with emotion, the Irish angel chuckled as she noticed how similar Angela's and Andrew's faces were once they were asleep: both serene and tranquil, like an angel's face should be.

Then, Monica turned to look at Tess, who was sleeping in the spare bed inside the baby's room. Smiling, she walked up to her and straightened the blanket up to the angel's shoulders. She looked at the window and watched as the sun started to rise in the horizon. Then, she conjoined her hands and whispered. "Thank you, Father..."

Angela's first cry came a minute later and with a permanent smile, Monica was already there to hold her baby daughter in her arms once again and soothe her little heart.

X

Tess was finishing to prepare lunch when a tall blond angel appeared by the kitchen door. With a contented expression on his face, Andrew motioned his finger to his lips, quietly asking her to be in silence. Nodding and smiling back at him, she moved to hold him tightly and received a kiss on her cheek.

"She's in Angela's room," the old supervisor said, happy that all her angel babies were finally together.

Monica was standing by the window, gently rocking Angela and patting her back. The little girl was resting her head over her mother's shoulder but it was possible to see she was still awake. Monica had spent the last hours wondering about Andrew and if he would really manage to return to her on that same day. His presence at the beach house, however, was enough to erase the frown over her forehead. Although she hadn't heard his voice yet, Monica felt he was close. And all it took her was to turn around: he was standing right behind her, with a broad smile and open arms, ready to hold the two loves of his existence once again.

"Andrew..."

"Angel..." he kissed her lips and then reached out to take Angela from her arms.

"Someone here has missed her daddy terribly!" Monica joked, happy to see them together.

"Hey, my little angel!" he spoke, kissing Angela's cheek repeatedly, "Look at how beautiful you are!"

The couple couldn't help laughing when the little baby smiled at him - a toothless smile that would melt even the hardest of the hearts. Andrew wrapped an arm around Monica's shoulders; his heart bursting with happiness for being with his family after such a long time.

"I've watched humans having a family reunion; I've seen a father returning home after being away for months, even years... But only now I can understand how it feels..." he spoke against Monica's hair, "... and all the centuries I've existed wouldn't give me the right words to describe it..."

Monica raised her head and smiled at him, with some tears in the corner of her eyes. The kiss that followed was soft and tender, only interrupted by a funny baby sound, which would always amuse them, and by an old angel's voice announcing that lunch was ready.

The simple house by the beach was involved by an atmosphere where God's love would flow freely. No words were necessary.

X

To be continued.


	35. A day in the park

Angel of mine series

Episode 35: A day in the park

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and the constant soft breeze helped to spread the sweet smell of flowers around the park. The leaves on the top of green trees swayed with the rhythm of the wind and the children and their parents played along with the joy typical of those whose main worry was to enjoy the company of the ones around.

A group of laughing three-year-olds ran by Andrew, and permanently holding on a lilac stroller, he followed them with his green eyes, chuckling at their excitement. Only when they made a turn behind a tree to find their parents did the blond angel turn his attention to the stone path up ahead him. On the chair, a wide-eyed little baby gazed at the world around her with curiosity and enchantment, and the meekness of her Gaelic features reminded immediately to her mother's ones.

But now Monica was away on a last-minute assignment, and this time Andrew was the one to baby-sit their lovely daughter. And that "assignment" was by far one of the best the blond angel had ever fulfilled in his whole existence. Since Angela was born, Andrew resented the fact that he had spent so little time next to her. He missed her and Monica terribly, and for a moment even envied some human beings who were blessed with spending time with their families. But then the blond angel would turn his eyes to the sky and ask for forgiveness, aware that he had been blessed in so many ways that envying what others had wasn't fair. That morning was one of those gifts and he would enjoy it at the maximum.

Angela had a pink hair-pin attached to her auburn strands near her temple, and the lovely white and pink dress she was wearing, matching the equally white sandals, had been made by her "angelic grandmother," such as the rest of her earthly clothes.

They didn't know when the little angel girl would finally make her way Home in her true form, but while she remained on Earth, Tess had declared she would be responsible for all her outfits. Andrew chuckled at the memory of Monica trying to knit a lilac dress to Angela and at the funny looking garment that resulted from the Irish angel's knitting work.

He saw an empty wooden bench underneath the generous shadow of an oak tree and decided to take a break from the walk. The angel sat down and placed the stroller facing him. Angela's curious green eyes were now focused on his identical ones and at that very moment her lips curved in a cute toothless smile.

"Hey, my little angel! Are you enjoying your outing here in the park, huh?" He said, gently tickling her tummy, and with his own eyes sparkling with love. Andrew was amazed at Angela's ability to bring out so much affection and tenderness in him - a quality that she had certainly inherited from her mother, like many others.

"Yes, I can see you are! You and your mom love being in contact with nature. You see, some years from now daddy will bring you here again and you'll be running along the park and making some little friends of your own. We can make a picnic here and this time your mommy will come too!"

Angela's smile only grew wider at his words, even if she couldn't understand what he was saying, the little angel was able to feel the father love that was coming from his heart like a warm embrace. The blond angel would always be there for her.

"Excuse me..."

A female voice, however, suddenly interrupted their "conversation" and Andrew turned his eyes to see a young lady, with short dark hair and brown eyes and wearing a beige dress. She seemed a little shy, feeling that she was interrupting something.

"I saw it when this fell..." she spoke again, handing him a small stuffed green turtle, one of Angela's little toys.

"Oh, thank you. I really didn't notice it." He took the toy and placed it on a compartment in the stroller. The young woman tilted her head at the image of a smiling Angela and smiled too.

"Your daughter is... so beautiful."

"Thanks. I must say that she looks a lot like her mother." He replied, proudly like any loving father would be.

"I can see she's much loved. Look at all this joy."

"Oh, she is. It's the first time she visits the park, and it seems she's enjoying it a lot!" He turned to face Angela and took her tiny hand, "And I guess daddy isn't doing a bad baby-sitting, huh?"

She cooed and kept the cute smile, which caused them to laugh. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"No, please," he indicated the place next to him.

"Thanks. My own little angel is right there..." she pointed at the group of children who had passed by him a minute before, where one of the little boys waved at her before reassuming his task digging a hole on the soft sand.

"You have a beautiful son! Congratulations!"

"Thanks. Joshua is three years old today, you see. I thought that bringing him to the park was a good birthday present. And one that is not expensive at all."

"I'm sure he'll remember this present for the rest of his life. No money can pay the time we spend with the ones we love." He replied, "And it's the best time of the day, as the sunrays are still gentle."

"Oh, yes, that's true. It's been warm these days... I can see this little one here does have an attentive father!" She exclaimed, a little surprised with his knowledge on taking care of babies.

X

Monica drove along the road admiring the scenario around her. She was in the countryside and so far all she had been told was to take Tess' Cadillac and wait. She would know when to act and what to do. Meanwhile, the Irish angel sighed and a soft smile appeared on her face: she wondered what Andrew and Angela were doing at that very moment. Her heart cheered with joy as she knew how long her beloved Andrew was waiting for an opportunity to spend time with their little angel. That Saturday morning was a present.

She kept on driving and imagining the good moments father and daughter were sharing together and smiling at how good with children Andrew had always been. They both had as a matter of fact. Experiencing mother and fatherhood was something that both of them had longed for, and no wonder they were chosen to be blessed with Angela.

Suddenly, an image not far from her took her out of her reverie, and now Monica had her eyes turned to a car that apparently had stopped by the road. Its hood was open and there was a man trying to fix its engine. The Irish angel reduced the speed and pulled over on the other side of the road.

"Would you like some help?" she politely asked, observing he was wearing formal clothes and his shirt was practically ruined by that time.

"Oh, well, thanks but I guess fixing it won't be that easy. I've been trying it for the last half hour..." he said, trying to hide away his disbelief that such a petite woman would know anything about cars.

"Oh, sometimes car engines can be deceitful and hide away the solution to the simplest problem!" Her Irish lilt filled the air. She got out of the Cadillac and closed its door behind her, observing the problematic motor with a slight smile. "I wonder if it could be that wire here..."

She pulled out a plug and reconnected it again, and then looked at the man with hopeful eyes, secretly having fun with his scepticism. "Why don't you try to start it now?"

The man was going to say something else but gave it up and elected to oblige the mysterious lady's request. To his surprise, once he sat down and started the car, it's engine was working perfectly again.

"I don't believe it!" He exclaimed, amazement written all over his face.

"I guess you have one less problem now..."

He got off the car and walked up to her apologetically. "I'm so sorry, for a moment I thought..."

"... that I wouldn't manage to fix it? It's alright," she gently spoke, and then pointed at the red Cadillac, "I had a little problem with her a while ago, you know. Then I learned how to solve it and... well, I'm glad now I could help someone else."

"Thanks, madam. Thanks a lot." He cleaned his hand with a cloth, "My name is Matthew Evens."

"Nice to meet you, Mr Evens. I'm Monica." She replied, shaking hands with him.

"Are you heading to Keysville, Monica?"

For a moment, the angel was in doubt, looking for the best words to tell him she had no idea where she was supposed to go. She glanced at his car and noticed he was driving on the opposite direction from hers when the vehicle broke down.

"Well... actually, I'm..."

At that very moment, she heard a gentle whisper in her heart and it gave her the certainty that she was looking for. Her smile grew wider as she spoke again. "Yes, I'm definitely heading to Keysville! Do you know it?"

"Well, I live there," he said, "I work in Salt Lake, though, so I pass by this road everyday."

"Oh, really? I... I hope have an extra shirt then!" she joked, looking at his dirty shirt.

She didn't miss it when the expression on his face faded a little and he lowered his head for a moment. "That's fine. I'll pass by a store near the office and buy another one."

"I'd do it immediately." Monica looked around them and then back at him, and noticed his inquisitive look at her.

Matthew studied the expression on her face for a moment, wondering if she really knew the right way to Keysville. "And... You know that this road is divided in three a few miles from here, right?"

"Erm... actually, I didn't... You see, I'm geographically challenged sometimes. My husband and a dear friend are almost always driving with me but today they're both busy with some other... assignments."

Matthew sighed deeply, and ran a hand through is hair. The mysterious lady had stopped to help him while others just passed by, ignoring his problem. Besides this, she had managed to solve the problem with his car in the blink of an eye, and it wouldn't be fair leaving her all alone now that she was visibly lost.

"Well, I still have an hour... We could do like this: I'll go back to Keysville and you can follow me. This way you won't get confused or lost, and I'll get to change my shirt at home. What do you think?"

Her smile grew wider again. "Oh, that would be very kind of you, Mr Evens."

"Please, call me Matthew."

"Thank you, Matthew."

They got in each other's cars and headed to the small city, located about 40 minutes from Salt Lake City.

X

"How old is she?" The woman in the park wanted to know, as Angela now smiled at her.

"Four months now. We decided it was time for her to know the world around her - the beautiful part of it." Andrew replied, his eyes focused on Angela.

"Yes, you're right. And these little ones grow up so fast that we have to enjoy every little second by their side..."

"Just wish her mom was here too..." He said, finally looking at the woman.

"Let me guess: she had work to do and you got the baby-sitting?"

"Exactly."

"She might be rather upset about it..."

The smile on the corner of his lips grew wider, "Well, actually, no... You see, I'm usually the one who is away most part of the time, and she knows how much I miss our little angel here... How much I miss them both. She was quite happy because I'd get the chance to spend the day with our daughter."

A little surprised, the young woman nodded her head, "I see. Your wife must be very generous then."

"She is. Monica is... the most selfless soul I've ever met."

Suddenly, a baby's cry interrupted their conversation, and both looked at little Angela. "Hey, hey, hey... Shh... Calm down, little one..."

Andrew was quick to gather the baby girl in his arms and place her against his chest. "Shh... it's ok, angel... it's ok, daddy is here..." He calmed her by gently caressing her back and kissing the top of her head. The woman sitting next to them observed as Angela's chubby little hand clutched at his tee-shirt almost desperately, as if she had found a safe place to stay and didn't want to let go. The image of that loving father soothing away his baby's sorrow nearly undid her, and immediately brought tears to her eyes.

A minute later, with Andrew's loving words and warm embrace, Angela stopped crying.

"My goodness... how did you do it that fast?" she wanted to know, surprised at his ability.

"You see, I'm still new at being a dad, but I've had quite a lot of experience with children, and if there's one thing I've learned is to recognise the crying." He said, finally looking at her again, and not missing how moved the young lady was. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes... I'm... I was just admiring the scene... A beautiful scene of a father and his baby..." She quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, "I'm sorry... It's just that she... she obviously loves and needs you so much and watching as you held her close... I guess I'm too sentimental today..."

"Children need to be loved. And having the opportunity to love them unconditionally is a blessing, you know. It's an opportunity no one should ever miss." He said, wondering if there was something else behind that woman's tears.

And his words did have an effect on her: she bit her lower lip and turned her eyes away from him, back to her little son who was playing not far from them. "You're perfectly right, mister. Sometimes... sometimes people are so selfish to realise something so simple as that..."

"Everybody makes mistakes," Andrew offered, hoping that somehow he could tell her the words she needed to hear. "But it's never too late to fix them."

She looked at him again and managed a tearful smile, "You're right again. Seems you understand not only about small babies but also about humans in general."

"Well, yeah, I guess I have a few years of experience!" He joked.

The young woman remained quiet for some moments and then rose to her feet. "I'm sorry, but I need to go now. I hope you and your baby daughter have a great time here in the park."

"Hope you can give your little boy the best birthday he's ever had!" Andrew replied, watching as she walked along the grass and up to her little boy, and gently held his little hand. The blond angel watched them until they left the park, and then turned his eyes to little Angela.

"Well, seems it's just you and me again, little angel!" he said, pulling away just enough for her to look at his face; and he chuckled at the expression on her meek face: her almost non-existent eyebrows were raised and she had a funny questioning look. "Yeah, I know, I know... You wonder how long your mom's assignment will take, right? Me too! But I'll tell what: how about we have another walk in the park, up to the lake, where you'll see the small fishes swimming with their moms and dads, huh?"

Andrew was immediately rewarded with another cute smile, and he too smiled back at his daughter, a precious little treasure he was holding in his arms with much love.

X

To be continued (I'll be posting the sequel to this episode really soon, I promise! winks)


	36. Mysterious ways

Angel of mine series

Episode 36: Mysterious ways

PS. It's advisable reading the previous episode (Episode 35: A day in the park) before reading this one.

It took Monica and Matthew around 20 minutes to get at Keysville. The Irish angel pulled over in a stone street, with lots of pretty small stores which sold all sorts of products - and her eyes sparkled even more when she realised one of these products was coffee. Matthew left his car and walked over up to her.

"Here we are. Keysville 's commercial area!" he joked, "Just don't go too far because the city ends like five blocks from here!"

"Oh, thanks, I'll remember that!" she said, looking around her and not sure of what the next step was. "It looks like a cosy little town. Are you from here?" she wanted to know, partially due to her inner curiosity, partially because she didn't know what else to say.

"Well, yeah. I left it some years ago and lived in some other cities, you see. But I kinda got tired of going around so much... Here is my home, you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean."

The young man sighed and tucked his hands in his pockets. "Well... I guess this is it..." he said, for the lack of better words.

"Erm... it looks like..." she replied, and Matthew noticed she glanced at the coffee shop for the second time.

"Would you like a coffee?"

"Oh, I... I'd love to but aren't you late for work?"

"It's the least I can do, Monica. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably wouldn't get to work today, as no one stopped to help me out on that road. Please, accept."

"Well, in that case, thank you very much."

X

When they left the coffee shop, around half an hour later, the man and the angel bid each other goodbye and headed to opposite directions. While Monica got into the red Cadillac and drove away - disappearing in the nearest corner, Matthew went home to change his clothes. He had already called work explaining he'd had a problem with the car and would be late on that day.

The young man was just finishing to button his shirt when the doorbell rang and he glanced at his watch, "Man, what is it now? A conspiracy so I don't get to work?" Sighing with impatience, he walked over up to the door, "My boss is gonna kill me!"

But when he opened it up, the expression on his face disappeared completely, and now he went pale like he had seen a ghost. Standing in his front door were the young woman who had spoken to Andrew in the park, about an hour earlier, and a little boy. Tears fell freely from her eyes and she saw him and it took them a few instants to recover from the shock.

"Evelyn?"

"Matthew..."

"Evelyn... Oh, God, I've searched for you for so much time... I..."

"I came here... because... because I needed to ask for your forgiveness... We both made mistakes in the past, but what I did to you was... unacceptable... I just didn't have the right..."

Confusion clouded over the man's face. "How... how did you know I was living here again?"

"I didn't... I just gathered all my courage and decided it was time we saw past our mistakes because..." she looked at the little boy who was holding her hand and eyeing them with a curious look. "... because someone here doesn't deserve to suffer due to his parents' faults..."

Now Matthew turned to look at the little boy, and immediate tears filled his eyes. "No... that... can't be..." The young woman nodded her head and he knelt down right in front of the little boy, "Joshua?"

"You know my name?" he asked, with the innocence proper of a three-year-old.

"Oh, yes... I do, little buddy..." He replied, wiping away the tear that rolled down his cheek.

"And why are you crying?"

"Because... because I'm happy... I'm very happy, you see..."

"Josh," his mother also knelt down next to him and caressed his dark hair, "this is Matthew... this is... your dad, honey..."

The boy's mouth curved into a cute smile and he looked at his mom and then back at Matthew, "Really? My real dad?"

"Yes, sweetie... Your real daddy..." Evelyn replied, wiping away the tears that never ceased to fall.

"Can I give you a hug, Joshua?" Matthew opened up his arms, terrified of being rejected, but instead, the little boy accepted his offer and threw himself in the young man's arms. "Oh, God... Thank You... thank You so much!"

"We made mistakes... both of us... but leaving our house taking our son with me and not telling you where we were was... unforgivable..." She said, "And only now I came to realise how much he needs a father next to him... How much he needs you."

Evelyn watched as he held their son with the same father love she had seen in the park, between Andrew and Angela, some time earlier. "I came here without even knowing if you still lived here... I thought you'd probably moved away..."

"And I did... a while before you left... Oh, God! I wasn't even supposed to be here now, I should be at work..."

"Then it was really God who guided you here..."

A lump formed in his throat at those words. The mysterious woman who had appeared on the road apparently coming from nowhere, the magical way she fixed his car and how she caused him to return to Keysville were indeed unbelievable. And then, the woman named Monica had vanished into thin air once he left the coffee shop.

Looking back at his son's face and marvelling at his smile, Matthew had the certainty he been blessed with a miracle.

X

Glad to get rid of the sandals, Monica walked barefoot along the park, enjoying the feeling of the soft green grass on the soles of her feet. She was smiling because she knew exactly where she would find the two most precious treasures of her life. A minute later, her eyes spotted Andrew and Angela under the shadow of a tree, near the lake.

The blond angel was lying on the ground and their baby was lying over his chest, peacefully asleep. Even though he had his eyes closed, Andrew wasn't asleep and could feel her chubby little hand grabbing his thumb. He had a smile on the corner of his lips, and didn't know how many times he turned his eyes up to the sky and thanked God for putting that little creature in his existence. Lately, humans had made his heart ache with sorrow and disappointment, and he wondered if he was the right angel to be an angel of death. Angela soothed his heart and purified his soul with as much love as only her mother was able to transmit.

As Monica came closer, his smile grew a little, but he remained with his eyes closed, secretly picturing her curious expression once she knelt next to them. Marvelled at the image of Andrew and Angela lying in there and so close to each other, the Irish angel leaned over and brushed a tender kiss on the little girl's cheek, and then caressed her auburn hair. Then, she turned to look at Andrew and narrowed her eyes; her smile now had turned to a mischievous one.

She leaned over again and placed a feather light kiss on his forehead, her hair gently tickling his handsome face and neck. As he remained motionless, she insisted and now kissed the tip of his nose. But Andrew didn't move or said anything, even though he could hear an amused giggle escaping from his beloved angel girl. Monica caressed his short blond hair and kissed his eyelashes, his cheeks and finally, his lips. And it was then that she felt his hand on the back of her head, pulling her closer to him, deepening that sweet kiss a bit more.

Some moments later, she pulled away and couldn't help giggling at his words.

"... I guess I should visit this park more often..." He joked, his eyes still closed, but a playful smile on his lips.

"... well, me too, it's not every day that an angel who is granted with some free time finds a cute little angel baby and a handsome angel of death lying on her way..." She replied, "And has the chance to kiss them both!"

Andrew finally opened his eyes and caressed her face with his free hand, "How could you not? They both belong to you..."

He could see her love reflected in her sparkling brown eyes, and pulled her down to lie on the white towel he had lay on the grass. Monica rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying as he wrapped his arm around her small form.

"How was the walk in the park?" She wanted to know, eyeing him with a permanent smile.

"Great! Our little angel here had so much fun that she fell asleep!"

"I knew you would! You're a perfect daddy and she is a very curious wee angel!" Monica spoke, gently caressing the baby's hair.

He looked straight into her sweet brown pools and then at her meek face, as if contemplating a present. "You know, angel... When God gave me you I thought I didn't have the right to ask for anything else for me... My world was complete then. But then... you're so wonderful, angel... so amazingly beautiful that you gave me a second blessing, just as amazing as you."

She bit her lower lip, always moved at his loving words and gestures. "I love you so much, Andrew... You know you'll own my heart forever, don't you? That you and this wee one are my entire world..."

Smiling warmly at her, he placed a few auburn strands behind her ear, "I can see it in your eyes, my angel..."

Their faces inched closer and another loving kiss followed, his fingers entangling in her auburn hair; and on the following moments when air became an issue, that warm kiss turned into little other ones, not less loving.

Monica let out a contented sigh and turned to look at Angela, who stirred a little in her sleep, but never woke up. "This wee one is also a very intelligent little angel!" She turned to look back at his questioning green eyes and concluded, "I don't know a more comfortable place to take a nap other than right here!"

"Well, there was another angel who was missing, though, and we both missed her!" He bent down and kissed her lips softly once again, "How was your assignment, angel?"

With some amusement, he watched as the expression on her face turned into a confused one. "Well... I guess the assignment still _is_..."

"What do you mean? Isn't it over yet?"

"Y-yes... and... maybe... Or maybe not..."

Chuckling at her wording, Andrew straightened his body in order to face her. "And that means..."

"Well... taking into consideration that I did exactly what I was told to do... And that I didn't take any wrong turn with Tess' car... I guess it means that God works in mysterious ways..." She concluded, and her face became serious, "Sometimes more mysterious than we can possibly imagine!"

Andrew narrowed his eyes and frowned a little, trying to understand her reflective words - he was probably the only one angel who had this ability and the required amount of patience to do so.

She looked at him and noticed how hard he was trying to interpret her confusing words, and smiled. "But I know I did the right thing, as I was told to come here and reunite with my two most precious blessings!"

Smiling, she inched closer and kissed his lips and then rested her head over his shoulder, leaving Andrew to wonder if he could ever measure the love he felt for her. But he ended up reaching to the same conclusion: it was impossible to know the extent of his feelings for her and for the little angel lying in his arms.

The angels spent some wonderful moments just lying on the green park, enjoying the soft breeze and the few gentle sunrays that managed to cross the generous oak tree canopy. Some time later, a crying little one broke the silence, but it took her just a few moments to realise she was in her daddy's arms and that her mommy was back from her assignment for little Angela open up a broad smile.

"Hey, look who's up! Hello, sweetie!" she said; she and Andrew sitting up straight so that Angela could face them.

"See? I told you your mom would be here soon, my little angel!" Andrew said, carefully handing the cute little baby to her mother.

"And I missed you so much, honey!" Monica gently kissed their daughter's cheek and caressed her soft auburn strands, receiving an immediate happy smile as a reply. "I wonder when she'll be able to go Home with us, you know..."

"Yes, me too." He said, taking a small stuffed ladybird and touching Angela's tiny nose with it. Her baby's laugher made them laugh. "Though I have to confess I've spent quite happy moments with you both here on Earth!"

"So have I..." The angel turned into human form gazed at him and caressed his handsome face, "All the moments I spent with you here were... unforgettable..."

Looking deep inside those sweet brown pools, Andrew crossed the small distance between them and pressed his lips against hers, cupping her cheek and deepening the kiss a bit more - both of them not noticing how Angela looked at the stuffed little ladybird, longing to have the small toy in her hands again. But as she noticed her parents were a bit distracted, she emitted another baby squeal and their loving kiss ended with them laughing and exchanging some more small kisses. "... as I was saying, they're all unforgettable, even if they involve wet diapers and a crying little one..." Monica added, causing her beloved Andrew to laugh even more.

They were going to kiss each other again but all of a sudden, someone cleared her throat next to them, and they turned to see their beloved supervisor standing on her feet right next to them.

"Tess!" Monica exclaimed, glad to see her supervisor and dearest friend.

"I think some angels here have been enjoying the earthly habits too much lately!" she replied, with a grumpy tone in her voice, which only caused Monica and Andrew to exchange an amused glance.

"Well, I know a wee angel here who has missed you very, very much!" Monica said, rising to her feet with Andrew's help, and holding a very smiley little baby.

And Angela's cheerfulness managed to break the apparently bad mood on Tess' face in a blink of an eye: the oldest angel opened up a broad smile and kissed the baby's tiny hands. "Hello, my pretty little angel girl! You're the cutest little angel I've ever seen in my whole existence!"

Angela seemed to have as much fun as her parents and she kept on looking either at Monica and Andrew or at Tess, with a smile that never faded.

"Tess... are you here for a new assignment?" The Irish angel wanted to know, secretly worried about the mission she had fulfilled in the morning.

The supervisor raised her head, turning her full attention to the two angels. "No, baby. I'm here to tell you two that we're going back Home, now that you three managed to fulfil God's plan."

They exchanged a new glance, now more confused than never. "We 'three'?"

With a pleased expression on her face, she nodded her head. "Yes! While you were on the road helping that poor man, Monica, Andrew was here in the park, talking to a confused young lady. And only after she saw the interaction and obvious love between father and daughter, did she realise how selfish she was being by keeping her son away from his father."

Surprised, Andrew ran a hand through his blond hair. "I... I knew there was something wrong with that woman but I couldn't imagine..."

"You did your part, angel boy. You and this cute little angel girl here!" she replied, once again smiling at Angela. Then, she turned to look at them again, "You two had to be here, that woman needed to witness the father's love, and to understand it is one of the ways that God's love shows itself. Angel girl here managed to finish the assignment, by taking this little boy's father back home, so that his meeting with his son could be possible."

Monica heaved a sigh of relief and smiled happily at that piece of news. "Oh, Tess, but this is wonderful!"

"The Father's plan is always wonderful, baby!" the supervisor smiled, and then looked at the trio, "Well, and now it's time for us to get going!"

"But Tess... Angela... she can't..." Andrew tried to speak, but Tess raised her hand, "Angela is coming with us, mister Halo!"

The couple of angels looked at each other for the third time, not believing in what the supervisor was telling them. "You mean she's..."

"She's assuming her angelic form at this very moment. And what a perfect little angel she is!" Tess' eyes were sparkling with joy as now she would be able to "drool" over the little angel a lot more often.

Overwhelmed with joy and emotion, Monica and Andrew kissed their daughter and then kissed each other's lips. On the following second, they were all dressed in white and invisible to the human eye. The blond angel wrapped his arms around his dear Monica and, side by side, they walked along the green field on the park - little Angela comfortably resting in her mother's arms, and with a permanent smile on her face.

A white dove cooed and flew by at the very moment that the four angels disappeared.

To be continued


	37. Trick or treat!

Just a short note to thank you guys a million times for the compliments on the hundredth reviews thing. Thanks a lot everybody, your (always so kind) words mean a lot to me:-)

And, well, I know that Halloween was yesterday but I'm still in the mood for a quick episode (only now I realised I'd never written any about the Halloween! It was high time!). Besides, it's still Halloween in other parts of the world, and even if it wasn't, I'd still find an excuse to write Monica and Andrew kissing each other! lol

Hope you like it!:-)

Angel of mine series

Episode 37: Trick or treat!

"Mary, Maggie! Mark is ready and waiting for you downstairs!"

Monica's soothing voice had an immediate effect on the two little girls who were checking the last details of their Halloween costumes. The six-year-olds sisters emerged from their bedroom and slowly and carefully climbed down the stairs of their house, joining their equally six-year-old little brother some moments later. The Irish angel smiled broadly, enchanted with the image of the triplets dressed up with their Halloween costumes, secretly picturing her little Angela a few years from now.

"Why do you girls take so long to get ready? Now we'll have less candies to get!" Mark complained. He was wearing a lion costume, while his two little sisters were dressed as a ballerina and a princess.

"Because we wanted to see our costumes a bit more! Mom won't let me go to school dressed up as a princess tomorrow!" Mary replied, in a self-assured way.

"I wanted to wear the ballerina clothes the other days too!" Maggie spoke, somewhat regretfully.

But the children were not the only ones who were wearing different clothes that night. Monica was dressed up in a beautiful fairy gown: her lilac dress went up a bit bellow her knees and its long sleeves, which were white and transparent, make it look even more graceful. She was also carrying a magic wand, with a star on its edge, and one could notice the angel was having fun with that situation. Her auburn hair was loosen and cascading over her shoulders, and she really looked like a character taken from a fairy tale. The only thing Monica resented was the fact that her bright white shoes bothered her a little, and she couldn't wait to remove them at the first opportunity she had.

Highly amused, she caressed Margaret's blond hair, "Who knows you will become a ballerina when you grow up, huh, wee Maggie?"

The little girl turned hopeful blue eyes to her baby-sitter. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course, sweetheart! And what a beautiful ballerina you'd become!" she said, smiling at the girl's own pleased smile.

"Oh, look at them! They're absolutely adorable!" The children's mother exclaimed, as she and her husband entered the living room. They were dressed like Gomez and Morticia Adams and it was possible to notice they were as excited as the children.

Smiling, their father took a picture of the trio and once they were all ready to leave the house, the mother looked at Monica with infinite gratitude.

"I don't have words to thank you enough for accepting the job, Monica!"

"Yes, Kathleen is right. We were surprised when the agency phoned this afternoon saying that they had finally found a baby-sitter who accepted to work tonight!" the father added.

"Yeah, all the other baby-sitters had been hired already. We were so lucky!"

Monica smiled, secretly aware that luck didn't have anything to do with her presence there. "I'm glad I can help!"

They left the house some minutes later but parents and children went into two different directions: while Mr and Mrs Harris went to the club, where a Halloween party was going on, their children went trick or treating in the neighbourhood of that pretty little town, a few miles away from Salt Lake. And little did they know that they were in the company of a real angel - who, that night, was disguised in a fairy costume.

X

"You're kidding me, Tess!" Andrew exclaimed, clearly annoyed with his latest orders. The two angels were at a club, where loud music was playing and only adults were dressed for the costume party that was happening at that very moment.

The angel of death was wearing a simple pair of blue jeans, brown shoes and a green shirt, but contrary to him, Tess was dressed up in long purple dress, embroided with hundreds of pumpkins and a matching purple hat, as she too had a Halloween assignment. "Do I look like I'm kidding?" the supervisor replied; both hands on her hips, eyebrows raised and a very serious expression on her face.

For his own sake, Andrew elected not to reply to that question - even though it was possible to read his thoughts just by the expression on his face. Upset, he shook his head and sighed with impatience and frustration. "Tess, you know exactly how I feel about this... Halloween stuff..."

"Well, and what do you expect me to do? Go up and tell God to pick another angel for the job because this one doesn't feel like working tonight?"

"What you're asking me to do simply goes against everything I believe about this date..." he insisted, leaving the older angel more upset than she already was.

"Oh, really? And who is 'asking' you anything, here, mister? I am giving you an order, that came from the Father Himself, and you are to fulfil it without questioning it because you and I know that if He told you to do it, it's because He has a perfect plan, which will not be ruined by an angel of death who refuses to work on the Halloween!"

"Who is going to watch over Angela?" Andrew made one last attempt to convince her he was not the right angel for the mission.

"Well, when I left there were five angels disputing who would rock her to sleep and you know why? Because she is an obedient little angel, who everybody likes to watch over, contrary to her father who is acting like a five-year-old!"

Sighing deeply, the blond angel gave up arguing with her and tucked his hands in his pockets. "Alright."

"Good! Now move on your angelic butt outta here cause I too have an assignment to take care of!" She grumbled, and walked away from him, leaving a not all to pleased angel behind.

X

"Look! We have so many chocolates already we could save some for the next Easter!" Mark exclaimed, counting the contents of his bag after one and a half hour of trick or treating around the city. He, his sisters and Monica were sitting on a bench, resting their feet a little before resuming their search for more candies (and the Irish angel was secretly thankful that they had stopped).

"We don't have to save it all until next Easter, the Easter bunny will bring us some more chocolates!" Mary retorted, really worried about the possibility to wait until April to eat all the candies they had received.

Her sister nodded her head in agreement. "Mary is right. If the Easter bunny sees we have so much chocolate he'll think we don't need some more and will leave us with nothing!"

Giggling at their conversation, Monica looked around and then at the sky: it'd been a rather chilly night, and now the wind was picking up a little more. The angel wondered if soon it would start raining. "Well, since you all have candies that will last for a very long time, what do you say we continue our 'trick or treating' on our way back home?" she suggested.

"Aw, can't we stay for a little bit more?" Mark pleaded.

"Well, we've gone quite far from home already. We will visit some more houses on the way and still get home in time for your favourite cartoons!" The angel offered, and that seemed to work for them.

"Yes, Monica is right. And I'm getting tired already." Little Maggie agreed.

"Good..." The Irish angel looked around her, not really sure of which street to follow. After some moments of indecision, and noticing the trio was gazing at her and waiting for an order, she sighed and pointed. "... let's go this way then..."

Carrying their bags, the children and the angel walked for some more time and it was possible to notice that Monica was constantly checking every street they passed by, hoping they wouldn't pass by the same corner. All of a sudden, however, it was the children's voices that alerted her for something else: a house had called their attention.

"Quick, let's go to the other side of the street!" The little boy spoke, he and his sisters alarmed at the old house's image.

Monica frowned, finding their sudden fear rather strange. "Go to the other side of the street? But why?"

"Because that house is haunted, Monica! The ghosts live in there and kidnap children every Halloween night!" Mary explained, as another gust of wind blew against their faces.

Tilting her head, and eyeing the old house with typical curiosity, the Irish angel bit her lower lip with a pensive expression on her face.

"Please, Monica, it's true! My friends from school even saw the ghost who lives in there!" the little boy insisted. But the angel kept on thinking, trying to understand the silent message her heart was telling her.

"Hum... And how did they see it if they too are afraid to pass by the house?" That question made them reflect a little and Mark nodded his head. "Hum... I dunno..."

"I don't think there are ghosts in there, children... In fact, the lights are on, so there must be somebody home..." she said, holding the triplets' hands.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, wee Mary, I'm quite sure... Besides, who knows the people in there can tells us exactly the way back to your house, huh?" she said, winking at them and finally convincing them there wasn't any danger lurking around.

Hand in hand, they walked up to the house and climbed its steps, and Monica rang the doorbell afterwards.

When the door flung open, the Irish angel finally understood why her heart was telling her to go to that old house. Standing at its door was her beloved Andrew, who was immediately greeted by the children's joined voices. "Trick or treat!"

Slightly surprised, as he too didn't imagine who would knock at his door, the blond angel let out a small laughter at that "coincidence". And on the following second, his mouth dropped open at Monica's appearance. He could never imagine how amazingly beautiful she would look wearing a Halloween costume like the one she was wearing, and the blond angel felt his heart skip a beat at her image.

"Good evening..." she greeted him, highly amused, and not missing how his eyes travelled from her head up to her toes in pure enchantment.

"Good evening..." he finally managed to put words back at his mouth, and then still not having enough from her appearance, he forced himself to look at the triplets, "Hello, children..."

"Do you have candies, please, mister?" Margaret asked, smiling at him with no fear at all. Andrew's presence always caused that impact on the little ones: they were never afraid of him; instead, their affinity was immediate due to his way with children.

"Yes! I sure have!" he said, but before he could go and fetch the candies, a loud thunder echoed through the sky and caused the children to hold each other with fear. The heavy rain fell less than a minute later, and Andrew quickly urged them to enter.

"Wow, you got a lot of candies in here!" Mark exclaimed, his eyes grown at a bowl full of chocolates and other sweets.

"It's true! You got all this for the kids?" Little Mary wanted to know, looking at him with curiosity.

"Well... y-yes..." he managed to say, a little embarrassed and guilty, as he had initially refused that assignment.

Maggie opened up a broad smile at him. "You're our friend then!"

Not managing to hide her smile, Monica gazed at her dear Andrew and tilted her head, exchanging some secret words and causing him to smile back at her and then at the children. "I am. And while you wait for the rain to stop, why don't you guys sit down in the living room. The fireplace will keep you warm."

"Thank you, mister..." They politely replied, and sat down next to each other in one sofa, while the two angels sat together on another couch.

"My name is Andrew. What's yours?"

"I'm Mark, and these are my sisters, Maggie and Mary. And this is our nanny, Monica."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you all!" He said, visibly having fun with that situation, and not managing to keep his eyes away from Monica for more than a minute.

"We were fortunate to find this house on our way, you know, Andrew. Otherwise, we would have no shelter from the rain that's falling down outside." The Irish angel said, looking deep inside his green pools, both angels now aware of their assignment on that unusual night.

"Oh, I see. I'm glad I was here!"

"Yes! But... didn't you see the ghost who lives here, Andrew?" Mary wanted to know.

"A ghost? Hum... no, I don't think there are ghosts around here tonight, Mary."

"Where's your costume?" The other sister asked, in an inquisitive way. "I'm a ballerina. My brother is a lion, sister is a princess and Monica is the good fairy."

Highly amused, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, the good fairy? Really?"

"Exactly." She replied, enjoying the way he was gazing at her.

"You're the only one who doesn't have a costume... Why? Don't you like Halloween?"

"Well, Mark, actually... I'm not much of a Halloween fan..."

"Why not? My teacher told me it's not really a monsters' celebration... Is she wrong?"

"Well, erm... no, actually, she's right, but-"

"Where does the Halloween come from?"

The avalanche of questions was such that Andrew was lost for words for a moment, and it was his beloved Irish angel who helped him.

"The Halloween started a long time ago, children, in England, in Northern Europe and in my beloved Ireland." She said; the thought of her beloved land causing her eyes to sparkle.

"And it was created to honour the dead people." Andrew added.

"Dead people? Really?"

"Yes, but it's nothing to be afraid of. It was a day created to remember the ones we love and who have already made their way back Home, to stay close to God."

"Ohh!" they exclaimed, paying close attention to what they were being told.

"And October 31st also set the end of the summer and the end of the year for the Celtics and the beginning of a new one, so they would light up fires and made a celebration at night, and everybody participated in it."

They remained in the cosy living room, sitting in front of the fireplace for almost an hour. Protected from the storm and the cold, the triplets listened to the angels' words intently. When the rain finally started to cease, Andrew and Monica finished their narrative leaving them with an enchanted smile.

"I like this story!" Mary exclaimed, with a cute smile on her face, after listening to the angels' story.

"I used to be afraid of Halloween stories, but now I'm not anymore..." her sister agreed, equally contented.

"Yeah, and I bet nobody knows where the Halloween started at school. I'm gonna tell everybody that I learned everything here with you tomorrow!"

"You see? Everybody is entitled to change their minds!" The Irish angel spoke, to a very surprised Andrew, who couldn't help smiling.

"You know something, Monica? You're right!" he admitted, "You're perfectly right."

"Besides, look at those wee faces whenever you give them a candy. They have so much fun..."

"Yeah, I know... I never thought about it through a child's eyes, but telling you guys the true story of the Halloween sorta helped me out to see there's nothing bad about it." The angel of death said, and then his lips curved into a mischievous smile as he looked back at Monica, "... and I can see it's not only kids who have fun lately..."

"I guess you're right again, you know?" Once again, they exchanged some silent loving words, and she rose to her feet. "Well, children, I guess it's time for us to go now that the rain stopped."

"It's alright. Wonder if mommy and daddy will be home already." The door bell rang at that moment, and they could listen there were more children asking for candies outside, causing Monica to gaze at Andrew with amusement. "I guess it's for you!"

"I'm afraid so..."

He walked with them up to the entrance door, and the Irish angel looked around them with some embarrassment. "Erm... Andrew... I was wondering if you could tell me which way is the number 52 of Cherry Lane..."

"That way." He quickly informed, pointing at the opposite direction Monica and the children were heading to, and secretly aware that his beloved angel was a bit lost.

"Oh, thank you!"

They bid him farewell and he watched them walk along the streets until the group was no longer visible. Then, with a tender smile upon his face, he turned his eyes to the sky. "I'm so sorry, Father. Please, forgive me... And thank You for the assignment... It was also a lesson."

X

The Harris' car was already parked in front of the house when Monica and the children arrived there. The door quickly opened up and Mrs Harris rushed to hold her kids.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're all fine!" She exclaimed, as her husband also joined them.

"Oh, mom, we are! We got so many candies!" they happily announced.

"I'm sorry, we should be here earlier, Mrs Harris, but the rain stopped us. Thanks to God we found shelter in one of the houses where the children went trick or treating, and waited for the rain to stop there." Monica informed.

"Yeah, there's a guy who lives there, his name's Andrew, and he gave us lots of candies, and he and Monica told us the story of the Halloween. He's our friend now!"

"Then it was really God who placed this man in your way." Mr Harris said, with some amazement.

"I don't think I quite understand it..." Monica said, slightly confused.

"Come with us..."

They entered the house and it didn't take them too long to notice what the storm and the wind had done: the huge tree that grew up in their garden was knocked down and hit exactly the children's room and the master bedroom. If there was anybody home, the pieces of broken glass of the two huge windows, along with the tree branches, would certainly have hurt that family, as their beds were completely covered with pieces of glass.

"We should be here earlier too, I wouldn't mind the thunderstorm as we had a car." Mr Harris said, to a very surprised Monica, "But there was this funny-looking lady at the club..."

"Yes, her name was Tess and somebody accidentally let some sort of red drink fall over her entire dress. I guess it was a mix of wine, raspberry juice and... well, who knows. I ended up helping her to clean it in the ladies' room, and she got a huge stain on her dress." Mrs Harris explained, and then everything became clear to the Irish angel. "When I finished, the rain was ceasing and we could return home. That's when we found it."

X

Monica held each child and bid the family goodbye. It wasn't necessary to reveal herself as an angel of God to them, but she was certain that the incidents of the night would certainly lead them to the conclusion that there was a loving Father watching over them. Pleased that everything had turned out just fine, she walked away from the house and disappeared around a corner.

Some moments later, the doorbell at Andrew's temporary house rang, and when he opened it up he found a smiling Irish angel standing on his doorstep. Not really sure of what to say, but as amused as Andrew, she tilted her head and eyed him with tenderness.

"Trick or treat..."

Her words only amused him even more. Chuckling, he bit his lower lip and gazed her from head to toes one more time, wondering if he had fallen in love all over again.

"You see... I received many visitors here tonight but none of them were as charming, beautiful and adorable as you..." he said, and then looked deep inside her eyes, "...my pretty 'good fairy'..."

"I guess I earned my treat then!" Her Irish lilt only made her even more precious to him. "And I was wondering if it could be a good cup of double mochalatte!"

Grinning back at her, he offered his hand and she gladly accepted it.

X

"... I like your temporary house, you know..." Monica spoke, minutes later. Holding a big cup of her favourite drink with both hands, she was sitting on the bigger couch, with lots of cushions spread around, and leaning comfortably in Andrew's arms, who, for himself, had prepared him some hot chocolate.

Chuckling, he took one more sip of his drink and placed his cup on the coffee table; his other hand permanently stroking her auburn hair. "I have to confess that I learned a lesson today. To see past things in order to do God's work. And from what you've told me, I'm glad that we both managed to protect that family, using the Halloween celebration."

"Oh, but don't forget Tess!" The Irish angel replied. "I'm just sorry about her stylish dress..."

He let out a small laughter remembering the supervisor's Halloween costume. "Well, she was really... unforgettable." Then, he straightened his body in order to look at his dear angel. "But she wasn't the only one!"

Smiling, she also placed her empty cup on the coffee table and tilted her head, gazing back at him with tenderness and evident love. "Well, I have to confess that I liked it, you know, Andrew!"

The blond angel looked at her fairy gown intently. "Oh, I can see that!" He exclaimed, and then looked back at her, "And... if you ask me... I liked it too..."

"Oh, really?" She spoke, straightening her body and bringing her face closer to his, never breaking their loving gaze.

"Yes..." His green pools travelled from her soft brown eyes to her rosy cheeks and sweet lips, scanning every inch of her meek Gaelic features. Then, he reached up and caressed her face, tenderly and lightly touching her delicate skin. "... matter of fact I was wondering if the good fairy could grant me one wish tonight..."

"And what is your wish, mister angel of death?" she said, leaning on his touch as he cupped her cheek.

"A kiss..." He replied, causing her smile to grow wider.

Hypnotised by his powerful gaze, and gazing back at him with sparkling eyes filled with love, she was the one to gently lay both hands on each side of his handsome face.

"Wish granted..." came the simple answer.

Slowly, their eyes closed and he bent his head down, his warm breath tickling her lips and face, way before she crossed the small distance between them and brushed her lips against his; lightly, as if treasuring the moment. Seconds later, with their hearts beating faster, he was the one who pressed his lips more firmly onto hers, tasting the sweet flavour of her mouth and deepening that sweet caress.

When air became an issue, they pulled away just enough to look at each other faces, even though Andrew continued to lay feather light kisses on her cheeks, nose and lips.

"I love you so much, mister angel of death..." she whispered, smiling and playfully rubbing her nose against his.

"The same goes to you, my sweet angel girl disguised into fairy..." He replied, caressing her face and her hair. "And you know what? It's way too cold for angels and fairies to go out at night..."

"And what do you suggest, then?"

He gently gathered her into his strong arms, cradling her and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, happens that the angel of death has got a quite warm and cosy house for a while and I guess you should spend the night here..."

Her tender smile at him made his heart skip a beat with so much love. "I guess I'll accept your suggestion then, mister angel of death!"

Tracing an invisible line along her jaw, he leaned down and kissed her forehead lovingly. "I love you…"

And then she was silenced by hard lips over hers and he kissed her more firmly and deeper and just as loving as she had done moments earlier.

"I love you..." She murmured in between kisses.

The rain outside started to fall again, and the cold wind soon made everyone in that small town rush to their houses, as one more Halloween night was coming to an end. But inside that cosy little house, the warm fire and the loving atmosphere made it possible for the two angels turned into their human forms to spend a loving and beautiful night.

X

To be continued


	38. Give thanks

Angel of mine series

Episode 38: Give thanks

It was a cold Thanksgiving day, and by one o'clock in the afternoon there was almost no one to be seen on the deserted and silent streets. The weather forecast had announced that the temperatures, which were already too low for that time of the year, would drop even more, and snow was expected to fall in some parts of Utah.

Inside that sophisticated restaurant, with a warm and cosy atmosphere, some families and groups of friends were gathered together with good food and drinks and happy chatter. A woman, probably in her late forties, watched as her business provided her the profits of almost ten years of hard work. On that day, the restaurant was open just for a few hours, though. With the holiday all the shops and other restaurants in that neighbourhood were going to close soon, and only reopen on the following day.

When a tall blond man, with green eyes and wearing an elegant suit, passed by the counter the lady called him. "Erm... Andrew, could you do me a favour?" She said, as he came closer.

"Yes, sure, Ms Simpson," Andrew replied, with his usual friendliness.

She gave him some forms with lots of calculations and other data. "Could you take these papers to Harry? He's been in his office since he arrived and I know he would like to take a look at them."

The blond angel nodded his head. "I'll do it right now!"

"Thanks." She smiled at him and watched until he disappeared through a door, which led to an area only for authorised people. Then, she continued to co-ordinate the waiters and the other employees, searching for the best way to serve the restaurant clients.

Andrew was in charge of commanding the waiters and the other employees. To the ones who worked there, a competent assistant, hired on the previous weeks. What nobody suspected was that there was a messenger of God amongst them, sent to give hope and some of the Father's love to one of His children.

Andrew followed a long, red carpeted corridor and knocked at the last of the four wooden doors spread along the way. A voice telling him to come in made him turn the door knob.

"Excuse me, Mr Marshal," he said to a gentleman who was sitting behind a huge oak table, filled with papers and accounts reports. Like the woman in the counter, he seemed to be in his late forties, and despite the cold expression on his face, a closer look revealed that his dark eyes hid much sorrow.

"Come in, Andrew."

"Ms Simpson asked me to give you these..." the blond angel approached the table and handed him the papers.

"Oh, good. I was going to ask her about these forms."

Andrew watched him for a few seconds and then tried to start a conversation - a task that was not easy, he had learned that on the last few days. "Can I set a table for you later on? I believe you and Ms Simpson will want to have a break for dinner."

"No, no table needed. Matter of fact the only thing that makes me glad on a day like today is this!" he said, showing him the papers he just received, "The money we get on the so called 'family holidays'!"

There was a mix of irony and bitterness in his voice, and no smile on his face as he said that. Andrew frowned at the thought of having to deal with such a cold human being, even though he knew there was a sad past behind all that indifference.

"I see... I just thought that as you and your sister-in-law are like a family, that you'd like to give thanks for being together and running such a successful business."

The man raised his head and looked at him, with even more bitterness in his eyes. "You know, Andrew, every Thanksgiving day my wife used to say that 'we should thank God for everything, but especially for the chance to help the others, cause that's when He made Himself more present than ever.'" He remembered, fighting the emotion that was filling in his eyes.

"Your wife sounded like a very wise woman."

"Well, she also got was a tumour in the brain, and God couldn't help her. Then He took her away from me, and possibly in her last moments she might have realised that there was nothing to be grateful anymore." He said, and then added.

"I understand how the loss of a loved one can be hard, but you can be sure that God didn't take her away from you. Your wife had a serious illness, and He suffered with you and her on the night she had to leave this world."

"Yeah, right..." he said, "... if God is so powerful, why didn't He make a miracle to happen and helped my wife?" Andrew was going to say something else, but the man interrupted him, "Well, who cares? It's thanksgiving after all, right? And then we'll have Christmas. It's time for miracles, and you gotta pray to be one lucky one to get your miracle. Pity that we weren't those."

"Luck doesn't exist, Mr Marshal. And sometimes miracles happen around us every day, we just have to pay attention. And when we realise we're standing before one, give thanks for this blessing."

"Well, you know what? My sister-in-law and I work every night and day, if there's someone we should thank for the restaurant, this someone is ourselves!"

"I see." The blond angel let out a small sigh, still wondering how he would reach to his assignment's heart and make him see what was around him. He was going to say something else but some snowflakes falling outside the window called his attention. The forecast was right: temperature had fallen even more.

The man followed his gaze and saw the snow outside. "See? What's there to give thanks now? Luckily I got a bunch of people in here, drinking and eating, but no one is gonna get out of their houses to come here now. And I bet the ones who are here will pick up their things and go home very soon!"

"I don't know, Mr Marshal... there might be people out there..." He said, as he walked over up to the window and looked outside, his green eyes carefully scanning the area around the restaurant.

"And who in their perfect sense would go out of their houses with a weather like this?"

"Someone who doesn't have a house..." Andrew suddenly felt a rush of cold and anguish filling in his soul. It was as if he had been abruptly taken out of that warm restaurant and thrown in the snow. "Erm... if you excuse me..."

He quickly left his assignment's office, followed the long corridor, passed by the kitchen and finally reaching the back door. Through the double glazing, he saw a group of homeless people. Men, women and children were gathered together around a small fire, lit up with old newspapers and magazines. They were wearing old shabby clothes and it was possible to see they were not enough to send away the cold.

And among them, was Monica. His Monica.

X

"I don't think they'll give us any food, Monica..." a little girl said, standing next the Irish angel and looking at the restaurant with disbelief. She could be around nine, had black skin and big black eyes. Her hair was tied up in two braids, and Monica herself had offered to make them.

"You should never give up hope, Grace. Remember that God is watching over us all. Sometimes, when you least expect it, good things can happen to you!"

"Do you think God could get me a new mom?" There was so much hope in the girl's eyes that it broke Monica's heart.

The angel caressed her face and smiled warmly at her, "Oh, sweetheart... I'd tell you that God is watching over wee Grace from up above and making a special plan for her, and whatever it is, I'm sure it'll bring you much joy."

"I wish I could have a family, you know? People to watch over me, like a regular mom and dad... I don't remember my mom's face, she died when I was too little. But I do remember her voice and what she used to tell me." She explained, and then looked at a lady who was sitting closer to the fire, talking to the other people in the group, "Aunt Carla takes care of me but she's got her kids too, and I know it's difficult to watch over everybody..."

The Irish angel's heart ached when she heard that, and she lifted a silent prayer for Grace's mother. Now more than ever she could imagine the pain a mother who is separated from her little daughter would bear. Lost for words, she held the little girl close to her, and as Grace returned that warm embrace Monica looked around her.

It was freezing cold outside and now that the snow had started how long would that group of homeless people bear until help arrived? The streets were becoming empty as the hours ticked, and due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the city would become deserted and hardly anyone would appear to help them in case that assignment turned wrongly.

She looked at the double glazing door of the restaurant, not far from the group, and saw the pair of green eyes watching her with great concern. Monica was in human form, and that meant she was exposed to all sorts of dangers and privations any human was, such as the hunger and cold she was feeling now.

Andrew knew it. He could feel she also needed help.

X

"Excuse me, Harry..." Ms Simpson knocked at the office door and opened it.

"Yes, come in Julie. I'm almost finishing here."

"I guess we'll close in a few minutes. With the snow the customers started to leave."

The man rolled his eyes and let out an impatient sigh. "All this snow... Yeah, let's close it and go home. Though I'm sure there's nothing to watch on TV either..." he said, and for a few moments, while he organised the papers, his sister-in-law observed him in silence. The expression on her face softened a little and she tilted her head thinking on the many years they'd known each other and the long time she would spend with him every day. As a matter of fact, everyone who knew them used to say that Julie was Harry's human side, the only true friend he had in the world.

And to an extent, that was true, even though Julie's feelings were more intense than friendship.

"Julie?" he repeated, as she seemed to be far away.

"Yes?"

"Are you leaving now? I could take you home if you want. I just have to tidy up these papers. It's not safe driving around with a weather like this at night."

"It's alright, then, Harry. I'll be waiting for you outside." She said, and with a slight smile and then closed the door behind her.

As she left, it was the expression on his face that changed to a more serious one. He sighed deeply and spoke to himself. "God took your sister away from me all those years ago, Julie... But I'm not gonna risk losing you..."

His sister-in-law bid good night to the last guests to leave the restaurant and finally put the "closed" sign on the door. She had asked Andrew to help her tidy up the tables and chairs but the woman noticed there was something deeply worrying her assistant when he let the second glass fall from his hands and crash on the floor.

"Andrew? Is there something wrong?" she wanted to know, watching how nervous he seemed to be.

"I... I'm sorry, Ms Simpson. I... I guess it's been quite a busy day..." he apologised, his eyes turning from the woman to the window.

"I know you probably have some place better to go..." she said, with sadness.

"I go where I am needed, Ms Simpson."

"But you probably have a family of your own. I wish I was that lucky, you see. Harry is my only family, and he's not exactly in the mood for a Thanksgiving celebration."

Despite the fact that he did want to be with his family, there was something else causing him great concern. He could feel Monica's condition and his first impulse was to go outside and rescue her from the cold and the snow, along with the poor ones who were together with her. But he could hear a voice whispering in his soul that there was an assignment to be fulfilled at that very moment and was the one to accomplish his Father's will.

X

Monica was trying hard to control her coughing while she remained around the fireplace, together with the other homeless people outside the restaurant. The snowflakes kept on falling, and the Irish angel wondered when they would be removed out of the streets. Her feet and hands were trembling, and for the first time in that assignment, she was afraid.

"Do you think people in the restaurant would allow us to come in for a while, Monica?" Grace wanted to know, holding the angel's hand and also feeling her stomach churning. "They always used to give us something in the restaurant near where we lived. Now that we had to move away, I don't see who's gonna help us."

"Oh, Grace... I'm not sure who is coming to help us... actually... I guess cold is doing something strange to me, you know..." the angel said, and then leaned against a brick wall, causing the little girl to worry.

"Monica? You're not alright, are you?" she said, reaching for her friend's eyes.

"I'm... I'll be alright, Grace..." Monica managed to say, even though she was feeling a terrible headache. Grace was still a child but living in poor slums had given her the experience of a much older person: she had seen it happen before. The kind lady who had patiently helped to take care of her in the last few weeks was dying with cold and hunger.

The other people in the group helped Monica and brought her closer to the fireplace, while Grace observed how her friend's hands trembled. The girl looked at the restaurant on the other side of the street, and then back at Monica. A sudden and desperate idea had crossed her mind.

The restaurant was almost empty now. The customers had left and soon the waiters and cooks would also leave; there were just a few people in there. Due to this, nobody saw it when a nine-year-old little girl opened up the back door and quietly crossed the kitchen. There was food in there, but right now she knew an adult's help was more important than stealing food. After all, how much could her short little arms carry in order to help a group of more than ten people?

She found another door and opened it up slowly, her little heart beating fast with fear and nervousness. There was nobody in the long corridor filled with many doors. Grace stood still and nervously fidgeted with the hem of her coat. What would she do now? Finally, she kept on walking, but now with slower paces, as if she was stepping on a deadly ground.

And all of a sudden, before the little girl knew it, one of the doors opened up and a man came out of the room. Harry and Grace stared at each other in surprise and shock.

"What does it mean? Who are you?"

"I'm... I'm sorry, sir but... I need help..." she managed to say, those black slanting eyes filled with fear but also with urgency and the innocence typical of a child.

"Help? But who let you in? Where did you come from?" Harry was frowning, upset with the fact that a stranger had broken into his restaurant - and, what he didn't know, through the door Andrew had left open.

"I was outside with the others... We were hoping you could give us some food but now-"

"Food? Did you know that this is a private place?" His authoritarian tone of voice would have scared a child. But not Grace. The little girl gave two steps and, leaving him completely astonished, she searched for his hand. "Please, sir, we need help... We should thank God for everything, but especially for the chance to help the others, cause that's when He made Himself more present than ever... Please, help us... We'll be truly grateful..."

"Where... did you hear that?" he asked, eyeing the girl with a haunted face.

"I can hardly remember my mom, but I know she used to say that all the time... She learned it when she was a nurse, right before we lost our house... She took care of a lady who was very ill, and one day, this lady said that to her..." she explained. "Mom used to repeat it all the time so I would never forget to help."

The girl's words brought tears to his eyes, and at that very moment, Harry realised it wasn't a coincidence. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Oh, God..." he whispered, in complete shock.

"Yes, God is here now, Mr Marshal... In your heart, asking you to do what your wife would have done..." Andrew had heard that conversation, and was already in his angelic form. Julie was standing right next to him, and tears of emotion were already falling from her eyes. "Harry... we're standing before an angel..."

"An angel? An... an angel from God?"

"Yes, Mr Marshal. The same angel that was with your wife when she left this world. The same angel that escorted her Home, where she is now. Standing with our loving Father, where there is no pain, no illness, and no suffering. Just His light, and His love."

"You're a real angel?" Grace said, with enchantment.

"Yes, Grace. And I came here with a message for you too. Your mom is now together with Mr Marshal's wife."

"In Heaven, right?"

"Yes. And she's watching over you from where she is, and right now she's smiling because she has a wonderful daughter, who will grow up and do amazing things for the ones who are around her..." Andrew turned to look at the man again, "Mr Marshal, I came here initially with a message for you... But I can see this little girl has already delivered it better than anyone else."

X

They crossed the street and rushed towards the group of homeless people who was standing near the restaurant. "Bring them all to the restaurant!" Mr Marshal commanded, shocked to see how poor and hungry they were.

Andrew was quick to gather a coughing and limp Monica in his arms. "Angel! It's okay, it's over now..." he said, removing his jacket and wrapping it around her much smaller form.

"Andrew..." she whispered, her voice was weak but she had a smile on her face. Reaching out her hand, she touched his handsome face. "...You're here..."

"Yes, baby, and I won't leave you anytime soon." He kissed the palm of her hand and her forehead, and helped her to stand on her feet. They watched as the group of homeless people was taken to the restaurant and Monica looked at him questioningly. "Aren't we going there?"

"No. Our assignment here is over and I'll take you some place else now, okay?"

The group was now gathered in the restaurant, which was opened only for them. Food and drink were distributed, and Julie and Harry promised they would give them new clothes and a place to stay.

"I just wish I hadn't been so blind all these years..." he said, as his sister-in-law sat down next to him. "...to see all the blessings that were surrounding me."

He gently covered Julie's hand with his own, and she looked at him with the same tender smile. This time he was aware of it. "There can be so many things to give thanks now... and I guess you got your miracle, Harry."

"I got my miracle many years ago, Julie." He replied, and then Grace approached them with a broad smile and a huge pot of icecream in her hands, "Mr Marshal, Ms Simpson, I had never tasted raspberry icecream! You were right, Ms Simpson, it's delicious!"

"Guess I got myself two ladies who are crazy about raspberry icecream now! I don't see the fun you see in it!" he joked, as the girl sat down next to them, "I guess I got to keep an eye on you two so my storage of icecream ends before my eyes!"

They laughed and an atmosphere of joy and affection involved that restaurant and all the ones who were invited for that special Thanksgiving dinner.

X

To fulfil that assignment, Andrew had been under human form and was staying in an apartment not far from the restaurant. That's where he took Monica, as quickly as possible, as she needed immediate care. After having a hot shower, Monica dressed up in a robe and now she was in his bedroom, covered with a warm blanket and leaning against lots and lots of pillows, placed there by her beloved angel of death.

She was still coughing, but after receiving some first aids and being in a warm shelter, the Irish angel was feeling much better. Exhaustion and a persistent headache still bothered her but now there was someone who would take care of her. Andrew was there. Carrying a tray with hot soup and some more food, he entered the bedroom and headed straight to the bed, and even though she was smiling at him, moved with so much care, he still kept his face serious. "Here, angel, have something to eat."

"I confess I'm very hungry, you know..." she said, taking the spoon and taking the first sip of that hot soup, "... and I'm also very glad you're the one to prepare the food! It's delicious!"

"I could feel you out there..." he sat down on the bed next to her and as she ate, he caressed her damp hair, tucking a few strands behind her ear. Andrew was studying her meek features carefully, looking for something else other than the signs of exhaustion and the paleness on her beautiful face.

"I know... I wish I could stop it... so you didn't worry so much, but I can't..."

"That's right, you can't... And I don't want to. I want to know everything you think and feel, angel. I want to know if you're alright or if you need me, because I'll always be there for you."

She titled her head and eyed him in a way he found especially endearing. "Well, whenever you're around, I'm alright..." Monica smiled at him and was glad to see a slight smile also forming in the corner of his lips. And on the following second, she was bending her head and kissing him softly, giving him tiny loving kisses as she caressed his handsome face.

"Then I have to inform you I'll be around for the rest of eternity..." he said, once she pulled away, still stroking his face with the back of her slender fingers.

"That's quite good to me..." she replied, her heart melting with so much love for that caring and compassionate angel.

And even though his expression was softer, he was serious again, "Now will you please have your dinner? I'm keeping a good eye on you, _Mrs_."

"Yes. _Husband_!" She giggled, and obliged to his request. And it broke Andrew's heart to see how hungry she was - his beloved angel might have spent days in human form without eating properly, exposed to the cold weather and giving up on herself just to help the ones in need. Little Grace, Monica's assignment, was surely going to have a family, judging by the way she enchanted Julie and Harry, but for that to happen, the Irish angel had been through all sorts of privations. And anyone, either human or angel, would feel great sadness to know that a loved one was suffering.

Andrew wished he was the one to be so exposed like this. He also wished to be there and protect her, even though he knew that there was a reason for them to work separately. His protectiveness towards the little angel who had left a permanent imprint in his heart would last for the centuries to come.

X

Some time later, the tray with food he had brought Monica was empty, and the Irish angel was smiling at him with a rather embarrassed expression on her face, "Only now I realised I didn't offer you anything..."

Chuckling and highly amused, he shook his head. "It's alright, I'll remember that the next time 'somebody' here insists I should watch the Abbot and Costello's collection!"

Her giggling was like music to his ears. She took his hand in both of hers and squeezed it, and then inched closer to brush a loving kiss on his cheek, "Thank you for taking such a good care of me, again, Andrew. I love you very much, you know?"

He took her hand to his lips and then let it go to wrap an arm around her small shoulders, bringing her closer to him, "My precious angel... I love you forever..." he said, bending his head and kissing her lips softly and for a long, peaceful moment. Andrew cupped her cheek in his hand, caressing her soft skin with his thumb as she tilted her head and their loving kiss continued. That loving caress turned into smaller but equally loving kisses on her lips and then Andrew held her tightly, kissing the top of her head repeatedly.

"You're my Heaven, you know that, Andrew?" she said, in a low voice and closing her eyes, concentrating on his steady heartbeats.

He smiled and dared to tighten the hold around her a bit more. "So are you to me, angel..."

They spent some time wrapped up in each other's embrace and when Andrew took the tray and rose to his feet, Monica remembered something else. "Erm... Andrew... I was wondering if perhaps I could have some Decaff mocha now..."

With a mock stern expression on his face, he rolled his eyes and looked at her. "I'll see what I can do, Monica, but remember that Tess is picking on your 'love for coffee' again!"

"You're right..." she frowned, but then smiled again, "...but there's 'someone' who enchants her so much that she even forgets about my coffee almost immediately..."

He also smiled and nodded his head, "You're right! That little angel can melt even the sternest of the angels, and I can tell you she has Tess wrapped up in her little finger!" he said, and after he kissed her lips once again, the blond angel left the room.

It took Andrew around five minutes to come back, now carrying a mug filled with Monica's favourite drink. But as he entered the bedroom, an image caused him to step softer on the floor and a smile to appear on his face: the Irish angel had fallen asleep while waiting for her mocha. Shaking his head, he placed the mug on the beside table and quietly climbed up in bed, lying right next to her. Carefully, the angel brought her closer to him, even though it wasn't necessary - even in her sleep, Monica could feel his loving presence and slowly abandoned her pillow to rest her head over his chest. "Rest now, my beautiful angel... Because there's a surprise for you tonight..."

X

When Monica awoke from her afternoon "nap" it was already night. With confusion clouding over her face, the first thing she noticed was that Andrew wasn't anywhere around. She looked at the window and saw that snow had ceased but the sky was totally dark and another glance at the clock set on a chest of drawers confirmed the time: it was almost 8 o'clock.

A sad thought crossed her mind as she slowly sat down in bed: what if Andrew had been called on an assignment? They hadn't talked about it but she was almost sure they would spend Thanksgiving together and even dared to dream of Tess and her little Angela joining them on that special night. But now she realised her dream wouldn't happen anytime soon. The apartment seemed empty and now all that was left to her was to wait for a call to start a new assignment.

Sighing deeply, she pulled the blanket away and climbed off the bed. She was about to leave the room when she saw there were ladies' clothes over a chair, on the corner of the bedroom. A beautiful and warm lilac sweater, a pair of warm blue jeans, woollen socks and, even though she wouldn't have asked for them, a pair of ladies' shoes.

Giggling, she made a mental note to kiss Andrew one more time for that small present and then she replaced the robe she was wearing - and which was extremely large in her as it belonged to the blond angel, for the lovely clothes he had bought her.

And when Monica finally left the bedroom, she just had to give a few steps before another surprise caught her eyes. On the dining room, a beautiful dinner table was set, with candles lit up and a beautiful towel spread over it. Turkey, mashed potatoes, wine and the other typical Thanksgiving food were served and everything smelled delicious.

And on the following second, Andrew entered the room, followed by their dearest friend Tess, who was carrying another little angel in her arms. Monica covered her mouth and immediate tears filled her eyes as she saw them.

"Tess... Andrew... I..." she tried to speak, but words failed her.

"I swear to you that our little angel here also helped with the choice of the Thanksgiving decoration and food!" Andrew joked, and Tess nodded her head with a smile. "Oh, definitely, this little one here is a really smart angel!"

The Irish angel crossed the small distance between them and gathered her little daughter in her arms. "Oh, wee one! Mommy missed you so much, angel!" she said, kissing the little girl's cheek. Tess and Andrew exchanged a happy look as they were all finally together again.

Angela's sparkling green eyes reached for her mom's ones and then she raised her chubby little arm to grab Monica's hair. Her toothless smile and the baby sounds she emitted caused the angel to sob and laugh at the same time, "I know you missed your mommy too, honey, I know..." she said, their faces just a few inches from each other, and she rubbed her daughter's little nose with hers, laughing at the way Angela smiled even more at her.

"That angel girl is quite a talkative one, you know? I wonder where she got that from!" Tess exclaimed and Monica turned around to hold her dear supervisor tightly. "I missed you too, Tess... Thank you for taking such good care of our wee one..."

"And since when do you have to thank me for that?!" she mumbled, even though she was as happy as Monica.

Fresh tears fell down the Irish angel's face. "I missed us all together like this..."

The old supervisor's face softened, and she returned that warm embrace, holding Monica as if holding a daughter. "I missed you too, angel girl. Being with you three are the best thanksgiving blessing I could ever ask for!" she confessed, fighting back the tears that also threatened to fall from her dark eyes at any moment.

Smiling broadly, Andrew opened up his long arms and held them all, kissing the top of Monica's and Tess' head. "I guess there are four very grateful and blessed angels here and who will have a great Thanksgiving night!"

Angela's baby laughter caused them to laugh too, and the blond angel caressed his daughter's auburn hair and kissed her rosy cheek. He didn't miss the little dimples that were forming on each side of her face and underneath her chin, features that she had certainly inherited from her mother. "Yeah, your first Thanksgiving, my little angel!"

"The first of many!" Monica added.

The angels' Thanksgiving dinner was a happy one, with a lot of chatting, laugher, delicious food, and, most importantly, with much love and uncountable blessings for which they would be eternally grateful for.

X

To be continued


	39. Christmas at the cabin Part 1

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 39: Christmas at the cabin - Part 1

Andrew closed the apartment door behind him and threw the keys over the coffee table. After one more day of hard work, his human form was extremely tired. In order to fulfil his assignment, the angel of death was working as a construction worker, and only the joy of another mission fulfilled made him ignore his exhaustion.

Besides the physical issue, he also missed two very special angels and couldn't wait for the moment he would hold them in his arms again. But that would have to wait for a while. His Monica was probably some other place, also taking hope and a loving message to the ones who needed them. His little Angela, for herself, was probably melting other angels' hearts in their heavenly Home.

And the fact that there were only two days for Christmas only made things more difficult and their absence more painful to him. Inside the small apartment, there was no decoration that reminded the special date, which caused Monica's absence to be even greater. A bittersweet smile appeared on Andrew's handsome face as he remembered her childlike excitement during the Christmas holidays, and how her soft brown eyes sparkled at the vision of the colourful ornaments hanging inside the houses.

It was past 9 in the night, and dreaming about the two loves of his existence, Andrew headed to his bedroom. He removed his shoes by the doorstep and pushed the door open, and was when he had the greatest surprise of the day. Lying on his bed, sleeping peacefully under the soft light coming from the bedside table, were his two "angel girls." Little Angela was wearing cute pink pyjamas, with tiny flowers on it, and Monica had covered her with a white blanket. The baby had fallen asleep with her little fingers wrapped around her mother's thumb. Monica's long auburn hair was spread over Andrew's pillow and she too had changed into a comfortable flannel nightgown.

Andrew's heart was immediately filled with tenderness at that image and for a few instants he remained there, by the bed, just admiring his precious treasure. With a happy smile on his handsome face, he came closer and knelt next to Angela, who indeed looked like an angel. Andrew leaned over and kissed her little head.

"Daddy is so happy to see you again, my little angel... So happy..." he whispered, caressing her pink cheek with the back of his fingers. "I love you, sweetie."

He rose to his feet and walked along the bed. And slowly and very carefully, he climbed up the bed to lie down right next to Monica. The blond angel gently caressed her delicate jaw with his fingertips and removed a strand of hair from her face. Then, he bent down and brushed a loving kiss on her cheek.

"I love you..." he whispered, close to her ear.

What he didn't expect was the slight smile that appeared on Monica's face and her quick reply, which also came as a whisper. "I love you too..." The Irish angel stirred and he couldn't hide his amusement at the sight of her eyes opening slowly. "Hullo, Andrew..." Her soothing voice and loving gaze only made her more adorable to him.

"Hello, my sweet angel..." He greeted her with a smile; fingers tenderly stroking her dishevelled auburn hair. "I thought you were sleeping..."

"I guess I took a little nap but I woke up as I felt your presence closer to me... And... I hope you don't mind that this wee one here and I broke into your apartment during your absence... But the accommodations are quite nice!"

Chuckling at those words, he narrowed his eyes. "I can see you two made yourselves quite comfortable!"

A small giggle escaped her and she pulled him down, "Yes, but the most important was missing... You!"

He bend down and kissed her lips softly and gently, caressing her jaw as if touching delicate porcelain, treasuring the tender contact. When the kiss ended, he pulled just a few inches away, looking deep inside those sweet brown eyes, and once again finding her pure and unconditional love for him.

"Is it some kind of early Christmas present?" He gently stroked Monica's face, still not believing they were actually there.

With a sleepy smile, she reached out to touch his face and his lips. "I guess it is... my Christmas present... after all, my heart is so full because I'm here with you again..." she looked at Angela, who was sleeping serene by her side, "And so is this wee one's."

They were soon locked up in each other's gaze and on the following second, Andrew captured her broad smile in a tender kiss, cupping her cheek with one hand as that loving caress continued. It eventually turned into tiny kisses and Monica pulled her beloved to lie down next to her. As he did so, she changed her pillow for his arm, and with their hands permanently entwined they observed as their little Angela slept.

"It'll be her first Christmas..." Monica spoke, enjoying his caresses.

"Yes. And our first Christmas together with our little angel!" He kissed her shoulder, "Do you have any idea of how much I love you two?"

"I guess we do, right, sweetie?" Monica whispered, once again turning to look at the little girl. "How was your assignment?" she wanted to know, a moment later.

"Everything turned out just fine, angel. I was so grateful..."

Monica took his hand to her lips. "If you're happy, then I'm happy!"

He smiled at her and kissed her lips lovingly again. "Will you two stay here for Christmas?"

"I don't know. I was told to come to meet you here and wait, and I... I just couldn't come without our wee one. Staying away from her, especially at this time of the year, would be..."

"So painful..." Andrew concluded, as he too thought he would be apart from this little family.

"Yes."

She was serious now and the angel of death took her hand and placed it against his heart. "But we're here now and all the three of us, baby, so let's enjoy what we have and give thanks. You two are blessings I'll treasure for the rest of my existence!"

He kissed her again and some time later, Monica fell into a pleasant sleep. Like a loyal guardian and feeling his heart full with joy, Andrew remained awake for long hours, just admiring his two precious blessings. All day long, he wondered if they would be together again for Christmas, and now his silent prayers had been answered in the most wonderful way. The angel of death fell asleep eventually, with a happy contented expression on his face.

X

When Andrew woke up on the following morning he was the only one in bed. But a pleasant sound soon reached his ears and drew his green eyes to the armchair next to the window. There, Monica was holding little Angela in her arms and speaking gibberish to her, causing the little one to emit happy sounds that resembled a little laughter. The gentle sun that was coming through the window bathed both mother and child in a way that they were both glowing with God's love. As the Irish angel saw he was awake, she turned Angela to sit on her lap so that she could see the blond angel. "Oh, look who is up, wee one!"

Andrew was speechless for a moment. "You two are positively the most beautiful of God's creations." He said, rising to his feet and walking up to them, a happy grin playing on his lips. "Good morning, sweetie!" Andrew kissed Monica's cheek and then knelt by the sofa, "Hey, my little angel!"

Both angels chuckled as Angela followed her daddy's fingers with curious green eyes until the moment they gently poked her tummy. As they did so, she turned to look at him again and let out another baby laughter at the ticklish sensation.

"Hum... Looks like we got a rather ticklish little one here!" Amused, he kissed her chubby hand and added, "I wonder where she got that from!"

Andrew shot Monica an accusing glance and slightly embarrassed, she tilted her head, blushing and smiling at the same time. "I guess that would be from me..."

It was in those moments that she looked even more adorable to him. Chuckling, he stopped tickling the little ones belly and grabbed her face with both hands, kissing her lips lovingly a second later. "There's something else she got from her mom, you know..." the expression on his face was full of complete adoration as he moved his hand to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Loveliness!"

The angel of death kissed her one more time, her giggling almost matching her daughter's.

He moved to kiss the top of Angela's little head and then rose to his feet. "I'll prepare our breakfast..."

But before he left the room, Monica reached for his hand. "Andrew, we have an assignment..."

"An assignment?" he spoke, already fearing they would have to go through separate ways after so little time together.

But Monica's words seemed to put his heart at ease. "Yes. I received the message a bit before you woke up... We should head to the cabin with Tess' car. It should be parked outside."

Andrew frowned. "By car? So we should really leave soon because I've heard it on the radio yesterday: the weather will change. We'll have a very cold Christmas."

X

To be continued


	40. Christmas at the cabin Part 2

Sorry it took me so long to post the sequel to part 1, I guess vacations is making me lazy! lol

Thanks for waiting and here it goes.

Angel of mine series

Episode 39: Christmas at the cabin - part 2

After breakfast, which included porridge for the six-month wee Angela, they got ready and left the small apartment. Andrew drove along the road that led to the mountains, his attentive eyes were twice careful as he was carrying the two most precious gifts of his existence in that car.

Despite the cold weather, the road was in good condition and it wasn't snowing yet. Andrew and Monica chatted happily and their little baby's giggles and sounds amused them deeply. Chuckling, the blond angel shook his head and held his laughter when Monica decided to sing to Angela. Fortunately for him the Irish angel was on the back seat next to Angela's chair, and didn't realise how much fun he was having.

"Look, Andrew! She's smiling! I guess she likes it!" the Irish angel exclaimed, enthusiastically.

"Of course she likes it, Monica. Why wouldn't she?"

The angel turned her eyes to the rear view mirror, meeting his green ones. "Well..."

"This little angel loves everything that comes from you, angel! And she's not the only one!" he replied, with a wink at her.

Monica inched forward and bent her head, brushing a kiss on his cheek.

The trip went on uneventfully in its first two hours and around midday Andrew realised that his beloved companion was a bit quieter than usual. Angela had fallen asleep and he soon understood the reason to Monica's silence, as he too felt exactly like her.

"Hungry, angel?"

"I... I confess that I am..." she said, secretly feeling her stomach churn.

Aware of that fact, the blond angel nodded his head and, with a smile, he started to reduce the speed. He stopped at a small restaurant along the road.

The café was simple and there were few people in there at that time. The lady who took care of it was immediately enchanted with Angela's cheerfulness, as the little one woke up right after they entered and much to everybody's surprise, she didn't cry. Much on the contrary: the little baby kept on distributing toothless smiles while her parents ate, and later on she enjoyed the bottle of milk that Monica was offering her.

The happy trio soon called an old lady's attention. She was sitting at the table next to theirs and couldn't help smiling at the tender scene.

"She's a very beautiful and sweet little girl..." she said, with eyes full of admiration.

Monica and Andrew exchanged a pleased glance and then looked at her. "Thank you!" said the Irish angel.

"She took it after her mom!" Andrew added, causing Monica to smile at him.

"You're not from here, are you? I never seen you before..."

"Oh, no, we're not... We're heading to the mountains, we'll spend Christmas there." The blond angel replied.

"Oh, I see. Bet you have some other relatives waiting for you; you're such a beautiful family!"

"Thank you, but well... we'll spend it with a dear friend, Tess. She's like a real mother to us and she always stays with us on special days."

Hearing the Irish angel's reply, the woman nodded her head. "I hope you have a wonderful holiday."

"Thank you. The same to you, madam!" Andrew spoke, and as the woman rose to her feet to leave the restaurant, they noticed she was carrying two bags with groceries. It wasn't such a heavy load for someone younger, but it certainly demanded some effort on a sixty-two woman.

The blond angel was quick to offer help. "I could take those for you..."

"Oh, but I don't mean to interrupt your lunch..." she said, a little embarrassed.

Monica kept the empty bottle inside her bag and stood up, holding little Angela in her arms. "Andrew is right, and we've already finished."

"Well, in that case, thank you so much."

The angels and the old lady paid their bill and left the small café together, and chatting about the weather. Monica had draped a small blanket over Angela's tiny shoulders and the little girl kept on gazing at everything around her with curious wide eyes.

"Is your house far from here? We could give you a ride so that you don't have to carry it." Andrew gently offered, once they were by their car.

"I really don't want to be a bother..."

"Oh, but you're certainly not a bother. Your family must be waiting for you and this way you'll get home faster."

The woman smiled and then nodded her head in agreement. "Well, in that case I'll accept your offer. But no, there isn't anybody waiting for me..." she said, with a slightly bitter tone in her voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Monica's smile faded away and the woman placed a gentle hand over her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's alright. My husband passed away a few years ago and my only daughter lives far from me."

"So you do have a family."

"Yes, I do. But we're better off away from each other. It's good for everybody."

They stopped walking right in front of the car and while Andrew placed the bags with her groceries in the trunk she took the passenger's seat. They talked for a while and following her instructions, Andrew managed to get at her house in only a few minutes. It was simple, but cozy, located in a small village by the foot of the mountain. While Andrew took her bags to the kitchen, the old woman showed Monica and Angela her small Christmas tree, adorned with objects that soon enchanted mother and daughter.

"I keep the tradition, even though there's nobody to see it."

"Please, forgive me to ask, Mrs Kelly, but your daughter... how long..."

"Six years."

Andrew returned from the kitchen and placed his hands over his wife's shoulders. "Everything set!"

"I don't know how to thank you both... You've been so kind... a real beautiful family."

"Thank you, but I guess we're not the ones who deserve this... You're entitled to have a beautiful family too, Mrs Kelly..." the Irish angel spoke, and she and Andrew noticed as she lowered her head.

"Too late, I'd say."

The two angels exchanged a look of complicity and Andrew nodded. Smiling, he reached out to take Angela from Monica's arms. "Hey, little one, what about you and I head to the car, huh? Would you like to drive a little?" he spoke, receiving a baby's giggle as a reply. The blond angel took her tiny hand and made her wave at the old lady, who was looking at her with eyes filled with emotion. "Say bye to Mrs Kelly..."

"Oh, sweetie, goodbye... You're a very beautiful little angel!" she said, caressing her pink cheek and not aware of Monica and Andrew's second glance.

He kissed Monica's cheek and left. It was then that the Irish angel reached for the old lady's hand and squeezed it. "Mrs Kelly, whatever it is that happened between you and your daughter, remember that forgiveness is always an option..."

"A terrible argument... And then she left..." a lonely tear rolled down her face as she looked at the small Christmas tree on the corner of the living room. "Every year I build that up hoping that... she... she might come around..."

"Why don't you contact her?"

"I guess I... I'm too proud for that... and too afraid she refuses to talk to me..."

"Mrs Kelly, each day of anger and hate is one day less in a person's life. Each day of love and compassion is one more day in our existence."

The power of the angel's gaze was so intense that the woman felt the presence of tears and the strange sensation that there was something different about the young lady who was holding her hand.

"You... seem to have a sort of... glow around you..." she said, staring back at Monica in disbelief. "I must be imagining things!"

The warm smile upon the angel's face seemed to soothe her troubled heart and, amazingly, it gave even more certainty to the words that followed. "Remember what we are celebrating tonight, Mrs Kelly... There shouldn't be any room for anger."

"Sometimes I wonder if God knows me..."

"Oh, yes, He knows you because He made you. And like an understanding and forgiving Father, He knows how much you want to try again..."

"I do. But... there were so many mistakes... on her part... and on mine too..."

Monica placed a hand over her shoulder, "Everybody makes mistakes, Mrs Kelly. But if you're truly willing to change and start all over again, then open your heart to God's love. There won't be any place for fear then."

"I don't think I deserve it..."

"You're his child. And what parent doesn't think their child deserves a new chance?"

The woman cried openly and Monica offered her a warm embrace. To Mrs Kelly, it was as if God Himself was holding her and speaking to her heart words of encouragement and reassurance through the little angel's small form.

The family of strangers left her house some minutes later and once their car disappeared in the corner, the old lady stared at the phone on the end table.

X

"... I wish I had done more for her, you know, Andrew..." Monica spoke, a pensive look in her eyes while she and Angela played with a stuffed little turtle. The little angel was sitting on her chair and looked really happy with her favourite toy.

"You did what you had to do, angel. I can see now why we were told to go to the cabin in this form. We've been in that woman's life for just a few minutes, but I'm sure that our presence and especially what you told her might have touched her heart exactly the way the Father intended it to be."

The Irish angel sighed deeply, and then nodded her head. "You're right. I just hope she finds peace... she seemed to be such a sad woman..."

A baby's giggle draw their attention and placed a smile back on their faces. "Looks like somebody is having a lot of fun during her little trip!"

"You know how much wee ones get excited at this time of the year!"

Andrew chuckled under his breath: it wasn't only the youngest ones who were thrilled at Christmas time. He knew a beautiful angel, with a warm heart and childlike manners, whose beautiful brown eyes sparkled with joy at Christmas time.

They chatted a little more and at a certain point, they saw a car standing in the middle of the road not to far ahead. And its driver, a young woman, was standing next to it with a very worried expression on her face.

"Oh, dear... she seems she could use some help, Andrew..." the Irish angel spoke, immediately feeling sorry for the stranger.

Andrew nodded his head and pulled over right behind the other car. "You stay here with Angela. It's pretty cold outside." He said, opening the driver's door. As he approached the young woman he could see she looked rather apprehensive about him and the fact that it was a deserted road. It was obvious that her vehicle didn't work and she seemed ready to run away from any stranger who came closer to her.

But the young lady let out a sigh of relief when she saw that that tall blond man coming towards her was not alone, and inside his car there were a woman and a little baby. A family had stopped to help her.

"Hey, something wrong with your car?" Andrew offered, with his always so kind smile.

"Yes... it just stopped and I really don't understand anything about engines..." she said, rubbing her own arms as it was quite cold outside.

Andrew came closer to the car and, as she had already opened the hood, he checked its motor. "Hum... I think I can fix it for you..."

Her eyes shone with hope. "Really?"

"Yes. It'll take just a few minutes."

"Oh, thank you so much, sir! I've been here for over an hour and the few cars that passed by me didn't stop..." she explained, "... and I'm feeling so hungry!"

"My name is Andrew. And my wife Monica is in our car with our daughter. You can wait there, and we have some food for the trip."

"Thank you very much, Andrew..."

The young lady was in her early twenties and on her face it was still possible to see a hint of fear and insecurity. She walked towards the red Cadillac with quick steps but as she approached the car, the stranger felt a little ashamed. Nevertheless, Monica's friendly smile and her soothing voice inviting her to come inside for a while seemed to send her shyness away.

"Hullo, I'm Monica!" the angel greeted as she opened up the door. "Please, do come in!"

The girl sat at the passenger's seat and smiled shyly. "Nice to meet you Monica, I'm Jasmine. I'm sorry I have made you guys stop..."

"Andrew and I are glad we could help you." The auburn-haired lady said, holding a cute smiling baby in her lap. "And this is wee Angela."

The baby's cheerful expression soon melted the girl's heart, and she reached out to take her tiny hand. "Hey... hello, Angela! You're a very beautiful little lady!"

A baby sound was a reply to that compliment, amusing Jasmine even more. "She's lovely! You're a very blessed family, I can see!"

"Thank you, Jasmine." Monica reached out for the pack with sandwiches she and Andrew had bought at the café, and offered her. "Would you like one?"

"I... I hope I'm not bothering..."

"You're definitely not."

They spent the following minutes talking and Monica noticed that despite the smile on her face, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. The Irish angel noticed she was also heading to the mountains judging by the way her car was going.

"I live in one of the few cabins that exist up in the mountains. My husband, my little daughter and me. It's a very small family, you see."

"Ah, a small and blessed family!" the Irish angel spoke, happy to know about it.

"Well, yes. My little Jade is six and looking at this little one I remembered the days when she was a baby!" her smile faded just a little, "They were... hard days for both my husband and me, but every time we saw her smile our hopes were renewed almost immediately."

"Babies have the power to inspire love wherever they go, as they are a blessing from God."

"I do believe that. I just wish..." now she was serious again and sighed.

"Is there something wrong?" Monica wanted to know.

"Well... I... I do have a family. A bigger family but... I guess my husband and I are not welcome..." she confessed, feeling surprisingly at ease to talk to that stranger.

"Please, forgive me for asking, but have you ever tried to make any contact with them?" Monica wanted to know.

"There... there were many harsh words spoken... they were too many and too painful..."

"And are those same hateful words taking away the courage to make the first attempt towards reconciliation?"

The young lady nodded, not aware of that fact until then. "I... I had never thought about it but I guess so..." Monica eyed at that young woman as if trying to solve a puzzle, as she kept on talking. "I got pregnant very soon and my boyfriend and I didn't expect it, but... the truth is that Jade made us realise how much we loved each other. More than we did." she said, and then her expression softened a little. "And to think that my mother even doubted Mike could make me happy..."

Monica noticed that Andrew was closing the hood of Jasmine's car and in a couple of minutes they would bid the young lady goodbye. She placed a gentle hand over the girl's shoulder. "Jasmine, each day of anger and hate is one day less in a person's life. Each day of love and compassion is one more day in our existence. If you truly want to try again, and give the first step to reconcile with your family, then trust the God's love that comes with your little daughter. Hold on to that instead of fear and uncertainty. They will not lead you anywhere."

"D-do you think so? D-do you think... my mother would be happy to know that..."

"That she's a grandmother? What mother wouldn't be?"

Andrew knocked at the window on the passenger's seat. "I guess it's all set!"

Jasmine smiled and nodded at him. Then, she turned to Monica and searched for the angel's hand. "Thank you so much, Monica... I guess it was God who put you and your family in my way..."

Monica returned the squeeze. "He's always watching over us all, Jasmine, because He loves His children very much."

The girl thanked both angels and after she started her car, Andrew returned to the red Cadillac, taking the driver's seat. Monica was now sitting by his side, as little Angela was back to her chair and had dozed off to a slight sleep. On the Irish angel's face, there was a contented smile and a distant look, as if her thoughts were miles away. He couldn't help chuckling.

The angel of death inched closer and leaned to the right, "You know there's a song called 'Beautiful dreamer'?" he spoke in her ear, and was glad when she turned to look at him, as their faces became only inches away from each other.

"Really?"

"Yep!" he was looking deep inside her brown eyes, flirting with her and enjoying to see how much she enjoyed that. "And 'someone' certainly reminds me of it!"

Monica tilted her head and felt her heart beat stronger at the power of his tender gaze. On the following second, their eyes closed and their lips met in a loving kiss. The blond angel cupped her cheek and caressed her soft skin as that loving caress went on, and it soon became tiny kisses.

"... this is better than a dream, though!" she said, giggling softly.

"Well, thank you, I'm glad to know it!"

"Isn't it wonderful when the Father uses his angels to fulfil such a perfect plan, Andrew?"

Smiling, he turned the car keys and looked back at her. "Well, it sure is, angel. But I guess your comment has a greater meaning, doesn't it?"

"Actually, yes!" she replied, smiling as if he had guessed a big secret.

"And I'm sure you'll tell me what's in this pretty little head of yours, right?" he said, highly amused.

Monica inched closer and brushed a loving kiss on his cheek. He knew there was at least one hour of endless chatter on the way, but he would never get tired of hearing her soothing voice and lovely accent. Actually, he could spend the rest of the eternity doing so.

X

A car was parked in front of Mrs Kelly's house. The old lady had given up dialling her long gone daughter's number, as there was nobody called "Jasmine" living there any longer. She was sure she had lost her only family for good now.

But a knock on the door took her sadness away for a while and when she opened it up, Mrs Kelly placed her hand against her heart, feeling it racing from surprise and shock. "Jasmine?"

"H-hi, mom..." the young lady was unsure of what to do or say.

"I... I wasn't expecting to see you again..."

"If... if I'm bothering, I'll leave, I'll..."

"I'm just saying this because I phoned you and there's another family living in there..."

"Mike and I moved years ago." She said, feeling awkward.

"I see... And why would you let me know where you were? After all, we practically said each other everything we had to. There was nothing else left." The woman didn't have the intention to reply like that, with a bitter tone in her voice, but she couldn't avoid the words that had come out of her mouth.

Jasmine felt like turning around and going away. She wouldn't allow her mother to remind painful moments. "I... I guess it was a mistake to come here..."

Mrs Kelly raised a hand and, feeling terribly guilty, she tried to stop her daughter. "No, please, wait..."

"I'm sorry I bothered you, I-" The cell phone inside her bag interrupted her. "Mike?"

The voice on the other side of the line was an anguished, desperate one, and moments later, the expression on the young woman's face changed drastically. "Oh, my God! When?!"

As she listened to what her husband was telling her, Mrs Kelly noticed the immediate tears in Jasmine's eyes, and the way her entire body trembled with fear and despair. What could have caused such a change?"

"Jasmine? A-are you alright?" the old lady asked, and then quickly rushed to support her as Jasmine felt suddenly dizzy. "Oh, my God, Jasmine? Dear, what's wrong?"

"My daughter... Jade... She... she disappeared!" was all that she managed to say.

Mrs Kelly's face also changed: that piece of news caused her to be surprised, shocked and terribly anguished.

X

Andrew heaved a sigh of relief as he saw their cabin amidst the trees and bushes on the top of the mountain. By the end of the afternoon the snow started to fall along with the temperature, and the angels in human form were glad they would have a shelter to spend the next two days. Besides this, it was Christmas evening, Monica was eager to decorate it, just like she always did whenever they spent this special day on earth.

"I hope Tess doesn't take too long to get here. I love the way she keeps singing while she cooks, you know, Andrew."

The angel of death smiled and nodded his head as he parked their car. "I sure know what you mean, angel. Tess' singing, your joy and now this cute little angel's smile are already part of my Christmas... Actually, they're the best Christmas presents I could ever get!" he said as he turned the motor off, and Monica wasted no time in grabbing his face with both hands and placing a smack on his lips. "... well, along with that!"

Giggling, Monica got out of their car and felt how cold it was outside. When Andrew reached for little Angela, she threw a warm blanket over the baby's back, and the couple quickly climbed up the steps up to the cabin door. Moments later, they were already inside the house: it was warm and cozy, and the vision of the so familiar wooden walls and the pretty living room filled their hearts with great peace.

"Here we are now, wee one! See? Now you, daddy, auntie Tess and mommy will have the best Christmas ya ever had!" Monica ticked her daughter's belly and both angels were rewarded with a cheerful baby smile.

"She'll be here at any moment!" he said, checking his pocket watch.

"I'll get Angela changed and then we'll start the decoration!"

"Ok, I'll get our bags inside."

He watched as his two angel girls went upstairs. His eyes were shining and one certainly could see his joy at having them close to him on that special time of the year. As they disappeared on the top of the stairs he headed outside to take their bags.

Permanently speaking to Angela, and enjoying the way the little one gazed back at her, Monica walked along the corridor and opened the door that was right next to her and Andrew's bedroom. That room used to be Andrew's and now it was prepared to receive the little angel she was carrying in her arms.

"Here we are, wee one! Let's get you inside and change these clothes and these diapers, will ya?" she spoke, and pushed the door open. It had been left ajar and before the Irish angel turned on the light, she heard a noise coming from inside the bedroom.

Monica's heart skipped a beat and she nearly jumped at the small noise, protectively holding Angela close to her chest. "Who is in there?" she said, and then spoke in a louder voice. "Andrew! Come here!"

She gave two steps behind and returned to the corridor, but before she made it down the stairs, the angel of death was already with her. "Monica? What is it?"

"I heard a noise inside Angela's bedroom!" she told him. Frowning with great concern, he looked at the door at the end of the corridor and ordered. "Stay here!"

"Okay..." she was hardly controlling her breathing. With anguished eyes, she watched as Andrew approached the bedroom.

"Is anybody in there?" he said, and hearing the noise again, he stepped inside and turned the light on. Then, the tense expression on his face softened immediately. "Monica... come here..."

Noticing that she was still scared, he nodded his head in reassurance. "It's okay, angel, come here..."

As Monica joined him, her mouth dropped open and she felt immediate compassion for what she saw: a little girl, which would be around six, was sitting on a corner of Angela's bedroom. She was blond and had big blue eyes, which were now wide open and staring at them with nothing but utmost fear. With her knees drawn up to her chest, her little body was trembling.

Little Angela, however, raised her little arms and pointed at the girl, with curiosity and a friendly expression on her face, as if reassuring her little friend that everything would be alright.

Monica handed the baby back to Andrew and looked at the girl. "I'm sorry, sweetie, we didn't want to scare you!" the Irish angel said, coming closer to her. Watching as the girl retreated even more, she knelt on the floor, to be on the same level with hers. "It's okay. We won't do you any harm."

There was so much trust in the angel's words and especially in her brown eyes that the girl seemed to put herself at ease a little. Monica smiled at her and kept on speaking. "My name is Monica. This is my husband Andrew. And this is our wee Angela, whose bedroom you liked so much!"

"And I'm sure she doesn't mind sharing it with you!" Andrew added, winking at the girl and with a friendly smile.

The little girl's breathing seemed to be coming back to normal and she looked around her.

"What's your name, honey?"

"J-Jade..." she finally spoke, her voice still holding much insecurity and fear.

"This is a lovely name!"

She looked at Andrew, Angela and then back at Monica, as if making sure those were good people. "Thanks..."

Little Angela moved her arms again and smiled, trying to get some attention from their unexpected guest. And that gesture caused a tiny smile to appear on the little girl's face.

"She's cute..." she said, "I like her bedroom..."

"She's glad that you liked it, Jade. And we're glad that you used our cabin as a shelter, it's very cold outside." Andrew spoke, and now that the girl seemed a bit calmer he finally moved, sitting on the armchair nearby the window, and placing Angela on his lap.

"I know..."

"How did you get here, sweetie?" Monica wanted to know.

"I was playing in the backyard and daddy was inside the house... Then I saw a fawn and followed her, but I didn't know how to come back..." she told them, "... I walked and walked... but I didn't remember the right way. Then I saw your house and I saw the funny curtains on this window..."

They soon understood what she was talking about. The last time she had been there, Monica had placed new curtains on the little baby's bedroom, with many funny looking animals, such as wide eyed frogs, elegantly dressed turtles and cute ladybirds. She still smiled remembering how Tess frowned at the new decoration.

"The door was open and I noticed there was nobody home... and I was cold and tired..."

"Your mom and dad might be very worried about you, sweetie..." Andrew said, as now he could perfectly imagine what it felt like for a parent.

The girl bit her lower lip and lowered her head. "I know..."

Monica and Andrew exchanged a glance and the Irish angel offered her hand. "Are you hungry?" Watching as she nodded, the angel invited. "What about having a snack, huh? I'm sure that your parents will end up looking for you here."

The little girl gladly accepted Monica's proffered hand. "Is she coming too?" she pointed at Angela, and Andrew winked at them.

"Oh, yeah, she won't miss the party! Just some diapers change and she'll be right there with you ladies!"

"Will you do that, Andrew?" Monica asked, and he looked at little Angela, who was smiling cheerfully at him. "Well, husband, dad, diapers changer... one has to know how to do everything in life, right, little angel?"

Angela replied with a baby laughter and grabbed her father's chin.

Highly amused, Monica held Jade's hand and both left the room.

X

During the hours that followed, Monica managed to entertain the little girl by decorating the Christmas tree, but on their minds the worry about that situation remained. Monica feared for Andrew's safety if he went outside to try to look for Jade's parents. The roads were dangerous, it was snowing too much and darkness was all he would have ahead. The danger of an accident and the constant reminder that they were in human form kept on playing in her mind.

"Her parents must be desperate, Andrew..." Monica spoke, joining him by the window while Jade kept on placing ornaments on the tree and speaking to a very curious Angela, sitting on her stroller. "I can imagine what it feels like for a mother to be away from her child... Especially when her child is missing..."

Andrew nodded his head. "I can imagine that too, angel. But I was told we should remain here. I don't know why but..."

The noise of a toll truck outside the cabin interrupted him. They looked at each other and then through the window. A few moments later, Andrew was already opening the door and saw their dearest friend Tess followed by a man. And judging by all the anguish and despair on his face, it was easy to guess who he was.

"Tess..."

"Hello, babies, I'm glad you're both home already... I met this gentleman, Mr Stevens, and he is looking for his daughter." The supervisor explained.

"She's six, her name is Jade and she disappeared from our house-"

"Daddy!" Jade rose to her feet and rushed to the door as she heard her father's voice.

"Jade!" A moment later, the man was holding his little daughter in his arms, and crying with emotion. "Oh, my little princess... I finally found you, sweetie..."

The three angels exchanged a gaze of complicity and joy, as Andrew wrapped his arms around Tess' and Monica's shoulders. "I guess somebody has just got a great Christmas present!"

They invited Mr Stevens to come in and closed the door behind them. Monica, Andrew and Tess watched with a joyful smile as father and daughter held each other, after moments of anguish and uncertainty. "Baby, where did you go? I looked for you everywhere!"

"I'm sorry, daddy. I wanted to feed the fawn but I got lost in the woods..." she explained, with some tears of regret in her eyes.

Mr Stevens caressed her hair. "I was desperate... I... I thought..."

"Wee Jade found our cabin on the way, Mr Stevens," Monica explained, "And Andrew and I were very surprised to know we had a guest when we arrived!"

"I don't know how to thank you... All of you. I was on the road, looking for Jade, when I had a flat tire. If it wasn't for Tess I'd still be there."

"It was wise to stop here to ask if you'd seen a little girl!" the supervisor said, winking at her two dearest friends.

"I can imagine how you must have felt, Mr Stevens. Now that..." Andrew looked at Angela, who was playing with her stuffed turtle, "... now that I'm a father too."

A little more relieved, the man nodded his head. "It's a precious gift that demands all the care we can give." He kissed his daughter's cheek.

It was then that they heard another car outside, and a few seconds later, there was an urgent knock on the door.

"I wonder who it might be now!" Tess spoke, with mock concern. And as Monica opened the door, surprise caught them once again: Jasmine and Mr Kelly were standing at the doorstep with tear-filled eyes.

"M-Monica... it's... it's really you..." the young lady spoke, "I saw your car outside and..."

"Jasmine, please, come on in." She invited, and with a warm smile she added. "I guess there's something here that belongs to you..."

The Irish angel opened the door completely and as the young lady saw her daughter and husband standing in the living room, she covered her mouth in disbelief. "Oh, my God!"

"Jasmine!" Mr Stevens was quick to hold his wife, never letting go of their daughter. The family was reunited again.

"You found us, mommy!"

Mrs Kelly stared at Monica and Andrew with astonishment. "You two again..."

"Hullo again, Mrs Kelly!" the Irish angel greeted, while Andrew placed his hands over her shoulders and also smiled.

But another surprise, a lot more shocking was about to come. Jade pulled away from her parent's loving embrace and looked at the old lady that had arrived with her mom. "Hi, Mrs Kelly..."

The little girl's words did call their attention. The old woman's eyes were filled with tears at the vision of that six-year-old little girl. On the following second, she was crying openly, her hands trembling with emotion as she had just witnessed a miracle.

"You know this lady, Jade?" her father wanted to know.

"Yes. She works at my school. At the cafeteria. And she always warms my milk." The little girl told them. "I like her very much, even made a drawing to give her as a Christmas present. I drew you and mommy, me and Mrs Kelly together by our Christmas tree."

"I never... I could never know that... that Jade was yours..." the old lady finally spoke.

"You know Mrs Kelly, mommy?"

Jasmine looked at her mother, fresh tears falling from her eyes. "Yes, I do, honey... I... I guess I never knew her so well... But now... now I guess I do... I so understand her..."

"So do I, dear..." Mrs Kelly came closer and squeezed Jasmine's hand. "That's why I want to apologise... for everything that I said to you and Mike. For all the harsh words..."

"Oh, mom..." the young woman held Mrs Kelly tightly and both cried in each other's arms. "I apologise for everything I didn't say! And especially for not giving you the opportunity to know the beautiful granddaughter you have..." She sobbed and smiled, "... even though God found a way to do that for me!"

"I guess He gave us three a Christmas miracle..." her mother replied. "... in order to make us realise that..." she looked at Monica and finally understood the events of the day. "...that each day of anger and hate is one day less in a person's life. And each day of love and compassion is one more day in our existence."

Jasmine nodded her head, as she too felt there was something different with the people that had stopped to help her on that Christmas eve. The three angels and little Angela, now in Tess' arms, watched as the family held one another, aware that the events of the day would be etched in their memory forever.

"Isn't it wonderful, Tess?" Monica spoke, holding her supervisor's hand.

"And which of the Father's miracles isn't wonderful, angel girl?"

The family left sometime later, and now Monica, Andrew, Tess and little Angela could finally enjoy their Christmas celebration, with a lot of joy, delicious food and singing. Tess didn't like Monica's participation on the carols she had previously and so carefully selected for that special occasion. And Andrew couldn't hide his amusement at the supervisor's face once her charge started to sing. But much to Tess' despair, little Angela turned to be a huge fan of her mom's vocal ability and the oldest angel had no other choice but to surrender to the little one's wishes. By midnight, before the supper, they offered their prayers of thanks for being one more year together, like a real family.

But some time after dinner, Tess started to feel the effects of being in human form until so late at night. It didn't take too long for the supervisor to kiss her "babies" good night and go upstairs to her bedroom.

Andrew had offered to wash the dishes and when he returned to the living room he found Monica sitting on the loveseat. Chin propped on her hand and a slight smile playing on her lips, she watched as the snow fell outside.

Andrew's green eyes were filled with tenderness at her vision, as now with the lights off and only the fire illuminating the room, she really looked like an angel. His beloved angel.

He approached her and kissed the top of her head. "Well, seems it's just you and me now!"

Monica finally interrupted her thoughts and looked at him, snuggling close to his chest as he sat next to her. The blond angel wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders and held her as tightly as he dared, and kissed her temple.

"I couldn't be in better company then!" she said, enjoying the feeling of being in his warm embrace.

"I can say exactly the same. It was possibly one of the best Christmas of my existence." Andrew replied, tenderly caressing her long auburn hair.

Monica sighed deeply, listening to his steady heartbeats. "Of mine too."

But what she didn't see was the mischievous smile on her beloved angel of death's face. "But there's one thing missing..."

Frowning a little, Monica pulled away just enough to look at him. "One thing missing?"

Her questioning expression caused him to chuckle - it made her look simply adorable. "Yep!" That short answer only increased her curiosity.

Monica tilted her head and frowned even more. "What is it, Andrew?"

He let go of her embrace and from behind his back he pulled some mistletoe. Highly amused, Andrew placed it high above their heads and innocently looked back at his wife. "Hey! Mistletoe!"

Now a broad and also amused smile appeared on Monica's lips and she narrowed her eyes. "Ah! Mistletoe! I wonder how in the world it appeared here!"

"Well, me too, but you know what? Now that it did appear here, there's something that has to be done, don't you think so?"

Monica bit her lower lip and grinning at him, she nodded her head. "Alright then... Close your eyes, mister angel of death!"

With a pleased smile, he gladly obliged her. What he didn't expect was the tiny peck he received on the tip of his nose, and Monica's excited giggles as she rose to her feet and walked a few steps away from him.

"Hey! That's cheating!"

His upset face only amused her even more. "Oh, is it? And what about that mistletoe that came out of nowhere, huh?"

This time, it was Andrew who narrowed his eyes, leaving the small plant aside and standing on his feet. "You know what else will come out of nowhere, Monica?"

She knew that look very well but before she could do anything, Andrew's strong arms were already wrapped around her waist. He laughed at her excited giggles as his hands tickled her ribs, playfully ignoring her pleas for him to stop.

"Andrew!" she tried to keep her voice low as she pronounced his name like nobody else did, a way that he had always found particularly endearing.

"Shh, angel! You don't want to wake Tess up, do you?"

He tickled her so hard that her legs began to buckle underneath her and she melted into giggles until they were both on the carpeted floor, in front of the warm fireplace. Andrew decided it was time to stop when Monica was lying on her back and there were tears falling from her eyes. He just stood sitting there, admiring her, treasuring her smile and the beauty of her delicate features.

As her laughter started to subside, the angel of death reached out and caressed her face. A tender touch that caused her to look deep inside his green eyes. No words needed to be spoken as a multitude of loving feelings was exchanged through their connection. Andrew leaned toward her again, but now his gaze had shifted and instead of tickling her he brought his lips to hers and they enjoyed a long, loving kiss.

Monica's hands were soon rubbing across Andrew's back and his hands caressing her hair as the kiss continued. Eventually, air became a problem and Andrew smartly transformed that loving caress into tiny ones, spread all over her face.

"I love you so much, Andrew..." she spoke, looking at him with a smile and so much love that he wished time stood still a bit more so that he could relive that moment again and again.

He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Angel... my angel... my Monica... You know ever since I first met you, all the days of my existence have been touched by an angel?" as she tilted her head, still gazing at him with a warm smile, he kept on talking. "As hard as an assignment is, as much as I see all the terrible things that happen in this world, the memory of you... of your eyes and your smile, it brings me back to where I belong. God sent me you as a reminder of Heaven, baby. A reminder that always brings out the best in me and that also fills my heart with much love."

Monica touched his face, delicate fingertips gently tracing a line along his jaw. "My dear Andrew..." a silent tear fell from the corner of her eye, "Thank you..."

Returning her smile, he took her hand and kissed it. "For what, baby?"

"For being you... because it always feels like Christmas whenever we're together... whenever I hear your voice or when you hold me tight... You're my destiny, Andrew. Please, tell me this is forever..."

"It is, baby. For the centuries to come, you'll have this heart of mine. And I promise it'll always be Christmas for you, baby."

Another kiss followed those tender words, and then the two angels in human form remained there, in each other's arms watching as the flames danced inside the fireplace. Two hearts beating in the same rhythm, and two souls connected by the same loving feeling.

It was huge, beautiful and certainly endless.

To be continued.


	41. The Valentine's Day surprise

Angel of mine series Episode 41: The Valentine's Day Surprise 

The Irish angel walked along the street with a contented smile playing on her lips. Despite the cold weather and the dry leaves on the tree canopies, she felt all sunny deep inside her heart: another assignment had ended well. With patience and her incredible people's skills, Monica had managed to join back together a couple that would go on separate ways after two years of engagement. After hearing the message sent by their loving Father, Jessica and Jonathan realised how much they loved each other and how much they had to be accomplished during their life. Two souls that would be forever joined with God's blessing and who would watch with joy as their children grew happy and make the world a better one.

And all because one day an angel of God told them what they needed to hear. Although angels didn't use to segment their existence like human beings, it was undeniable that as the years passed Monica was becoming more sensitive and able to understand the human's nature, as she herself had a compassionate and loving heart - like very few angels like her. She let out a sigh as she tucked her hands on the overcoat pockets. It was cold at that time of the year. As she walked along the sidewalk, her smile grew a bit wider when she remembered the two other angels who also had a heart like hers.

Relief filled her soul at the thought that Tess was probably holding wee Angela in her arms right now, and speaking to her - or singing to the little girl, even though last Christmas they had found out Angela had a taste for her mommy's singing voice. Not quite pleased with that, Tess was determined to teach her "granddaughter" how to sing, though. As the gentle sunrays touched her face, Monica wondered where her other precious treasure was. Andrew had been away from her for weeks now and she missed him terribly. Through their connection, she knew he was alright, though, and it was enough to put her heart at ease. They would meet again. They always did.

Being away from her beloved Andrew was like a life without music or like a night without stars. There was no way she could imagine herself without the one angel who she trusted her heart with, the one she had vowed to love for the rest of eternity. And the angel of death's absence was even more painful in special days like that one.

On her way back to the car, Monica walked along the streets observing as delivery boys rushed here and there carrying bouquets of flowers in their hands, or as boyfriends carried beautiful red roses while heading to meet their beloved girlfriends. Once in a while, couples passed by, hands entwined and a happy expression on their faces. The little Irish angel always cheered to watch other people's joy - it also made her extremely pleased. But being away from her Andrew and on a day like that caused her heart to ache with sadness. The only thing that soothed her soul was to know that he was doing the Father's work and therefore taking joy and hope to other people.

When Monica finally made her way up to the Cadillac, she pulled its door open and was about to get in when she saw a small lilac envelope right on the driver's seat. Frowning with curiosity, she took the envelope in her hands and before opening it, she looked around her, in search for anybody who could have left it there. But seeing no one, the angel looked at the small envelope again and turned it around. On its back, a familiar handwriting:

_"Your Valentine Day's present, angel."_

Her lips curved in a happy smile as she read it and she wasted no time in opening the small love letter.

_"It'll be delivered at the following place, at the following time. _

_There is a map included in the envelope. _

_Be there for me, angel. _

_PS. I love you always._

_Yours, _

_Andrew."_

Deeply moved, as she thought they wouldn't see each other so soon, Monica caressed the coloured paper and placed the small note against her heart.

"Oh, Andrew... I love you so much... Beyond words..." she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment, picturing his face, his loving gaze and beautiful smile at her. Seconds later, she opened up her eyes again and got inside the Cadillac, heading to the spot indicated in the note.

X

The place Andrew had told her to go was far away from the city. He knew his beloved angel girl well enough to include a small map in the envelope, containing a detailed explanation about the right location she should be. Monica drove along the road with a permanent smile on her face, her doe-like eyes sparking with happiness at the thought that soon she and Andrew would be together again. How she longed to be in his strong arms and tell him once again that she loved him!

The Irish angel stopped the car twice to double check if she was following the right directions. She turned the paper to the left, to the right and biting her lower lip, she nodded her head afterwards. The small trip went on well over an hour later, the Irish angel finally arrived a the spot set on the paper. It was a beautiful place up in the mountains and there was a breathtaking view from the cliff. The green grass felt so smooth underneath her boots that if it weren't cold, she would have removed them and stood barefoot. Despite the slightly chilly air, there weren't clouds in the sky and the sun that had shone all day long would soon set behind the mountains.

The horizon went from blue to yellow and then to shades of orange and purple. Wondering where her beloved Andrew could be, as she didn't expect to find the place completely empty, Monica sighed. She looked around her one more time, and the beautiful scenario ahead of her ended up calling her attention.

The little angel remained hypnotised by the beautiful view for some time, lifting her prayers of thanks for all the blessings she had received on that day. But suddenly, Monica felt her heart beating faster, and she gasped at the immediate feeling that "someone" she loved deeply was very close to her.

As he approached the little angel, Andrew chuckled and was careful enough not to make any sound. With a red rose in his right hand, he walked slowly, wishing that his sweet angel girl remained with her back turned to him. A moment later he was standing right behind her and gently covered her eyes. Monica's smile grew wider and she immediately covered his hand with hers. And without turning around, she removed his hand from her face and gently placed it against her heart.

"I don't need to look, you know. My heart is already telling me that there is someone I love very much standing close to me..." she said, "... see how fast it beats?"

Still smiling broadly, the blond angel gave a step forward and now stood in front of her, never removing his hand from hers. "Then it'll keep beating like this for the centuries to come, baby, because close to you is where I'll always be."

Monica was looking at him like a fascinated child as they had been apart for over three weeks. Finally, he took her hand to his lips and gave her the red rose he was carrying. "For you, baby."

She gladly accepted the flower, gently running her fingertips along the delicate velvet petals. "It's beautiful, Andrew."

"Not as much as you," he spoke, and gently cupped her cheek, drinking in every little detail of her meek face. There was a moment of silence between the two angels, but lots of loving words were certainly spoken through the power of their gaze.

Monica was soon lost in the spark of his Andrew's green pools and a few moments later their eyes began to close. It was then that Andrew crossed the small distance between them and pressed his lips against hers, in a long loving kiss. Wrapped up in each other's arms, they remained as that loving caress went on, and later turned into small kisses, but not less loving ones. Andrew still kissed her forehead and gently caressing her face, he smiled at her.

"I can see you found my note..."

With a trembling smile, as she was still dazed from their kiss after so long weeks of separation, Monica lowered her head for a second, and then looked back at him, "I was afraid, you know..."

"Afraid? Of what, baby?" he wanted to know, softly brushing his thumb against her cheek, frowning with slight concern.

"Of two things. I thought we would spend the Valentine's day away from each other, Andrew... I... I understand we were created to accomplish God's work and I resign to the fact that I cannot have you always by my side... in person, I mean. But seeing those couples together and so in love made me miss you even more..."

His expression softened and he shook his head, never getting enough of her sweet face. Andrew placed a tiny kiss on her lips one more time. "My angel... I missed you so much too, sweetie. Yes, we are meant to fulfil our assignments and take God's love and hope to the ones in need but I would have found a way to come to you... even if it was for just a few seconds, long enough to tell you once again that I love you, and that I always will."

She let out a small giggle, which was also a half sob. "I'm glad we have a wee bit more than that!"

Also smiling, he nodded his head, "Yes, we do. Long enough for me to deliver your Valentine's Day present!"

As he said that, Andrew pulled away and reached for something inside the pocket of his black leather jacked. It was a cute knitted woollen hat. "Here, I want you to put this..."

Monica took the piece of garment in her hand and examined it. "It's... it's a beautiful present, Andrew..."

Highly amused, he let out a small laughter. "This is not your Valentine's present, angel!"

"Oh... it isn't?" she spoke, her clueless personality was one of the many things that made her incredibly adorable to him.

Andrew took the hat in his hand and gently placed it on her head, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears. Then he contemplated her pretty meek face. "There, you're protected from the cold now. And amazingly cute! I also brought you a woollen coat and a blanket, in case you feel you need them. It's chilly out here at night."

"I..." she was slightly confused, though never less joyful, and before she could complete her sentence, Monica saw that a white towel was spread on the grass. On it, there was a picnic basket, the blanket and coat that Andrew had mentioned and a warm fire lit up close to them. She looked at all the new elements, which were not there when she arrived, and then back at him. "Andrew!"

"I hope it's comfortable enough for you!"

The little angel opened her mouth to say something, but the words ended up dying in her mouth and she wrapped her arms around his waist instead. "You know what was the second thing I was afraid of?" she said, burying her face on his strong chest.

"What was it, angel?" he returned the loving embrace, tenderly rubbing her back.

"That I could make a mistake and end up at the wrong place... and then we would never meet..." she looked up at him, "... but I'm happy I got it right!"

It was one of those moments when Andrew needed extra time to select his words very carefully. "Well... y-yes..."

But if there was something Monica had learned, it was to read his unspoken thoughts. "I... I made a mistake? Oh, dear, it's not the right place, is it?" She frowned with worry.

"Actually, you got it right, Monica. You see... It's just that I was expecting you to appear at the other cliff, the one a bit ahead on the road." He quickly replied, not wanting her to feel bad about such a small mistake.

"That's why I didn't find you when I arrived..."

"Well, it doesn't matter right now, as this very spot is just as perfect for me to deliver your present!" he winked at her, causing the little angel in his arms to tilt her head and look at him with an adorable curious expression.

"If it's not the hat, what is it then, Andrew?"

With a mischievous smile, he kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm afraid I can't tell you right now..."

"Why?"

"Because it's a surprise!" he replied, enjoying to play that game with her.

Realising that he wouldn't reveal what he had prepared so soon, Monica sighed. "Then I must tell you that I too have a surprise for you..."

"A surprise?"

Now she got him curious, she nodded her head as excited as a seven-year-old. "Yes! It's in the car and I was keeping it waiting for the day we would meet again..."

She left him for a few seconds and returned with a tiny present box, carefully wrapped up in dark green paper and with a matching ribbon around it. "For you..." the angel said, "... Happy Valentine's Day, Andrew!"

Smiling and overwhelmed with tenderness, he took the present in his hands and, before opening it, he leaned over and kissed her lips softly. "Oh, Monica... You didn't have to, but know from the start that I already love it."

Monica watched with attentive and anxious eyes as he unwrapped the small present box. Inside it, he found a silver keyring. There was one small key hanging on it and a heart shaped silver pendant attached to its chain.

"It's beautiful, angel..." he said, though he knew (and she knew) that he would treasure anything that came from her like a precious gift.

"The wee heart is a locket, it opens in two, you know..." she said, biting her lips nervously as he opened the silver heart. And what he saw inside it caused his heart to ache with much love. A very small picture of Monica and Angela resting their cheeks together and with a broad smile. It was in moments like those that one could see the strong similarity between mother and daughter - the dimples on the cheek and chin, the smile, the colour of hair and the meek Gaelic features that were so remarkable in both of them.

Andrew was speechless for a moment. "Angel... I... It's such a beautiful present..." his voice was a bit hoarse with emotion. "Just so beautiful, baby..."

"This way you can see us when we're all apart... I know how you feel, as I feel the same..."

"I'll keep it close to me forever. They're a reminder of the two most precious blessings I could ever be granted with." He stroked her cheek with gentle fingers. "And I love you two so much..."

Monica's broad smile at him only caused his heart to melt a second time. "I'm happy you liked it, Andrew!"

"I love it. Thank you, angel..."

He held her in his arms again and lay another gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, the Irish angel looked at him cheerfully. "And you didn't ask me about this wee key..."

Chuckling, as he could see the playful look in her eyes, he nodded. "And what is this little key for, may I ask?"

"It's key to my heart!" she said, happy to hear a small laughter in reply. "Though you had it with you all the time!"

Laughing, he kissed her forehead and took her hand in his own. "You are so amazingly adorable, Monica! Would you give me the honour to watch the sunset with me? I bought a basket with fruits and sandwiches so we can have a little snack!" he said, gently guiding her to where the white towel was.

Monica looked at his handsome face slightly anxious. "Is there coffee?" she asked, causing him to chuckle again.

X

In Andrew's arms, Monica watched as the sun slowly disappeared in the horizon and the first stars started to shine together with the full moon. The fire and the warm clothes they were wearing protected them from the cold air of the mountains and when the night fell completely the silver moonlight still allowed them to see the series of hills and valleys that lay on that part of the country. Apart from the animals that inhabited that place, and which were fast asleep right now, Monica and Andrew were the only living creatures in there.

He was resting his back on a small rock and had cradled his angel girl in his arms after they had a delicious snack - with an entire bottle of mocha only for her. As she observed the starry sky, he kept on absentmindedly playing with a lock of her hair, delivering soft kisses on her face once in a while.

"It's all so beautiful... so quiet..." she spoke, comfortably leaning on his chest as both of her legs rested right over his right one. "It makes us really feel there's a greater power watching over us..."

"It does... though I can easily feel there's a loving God blessing me with wonderful gifts whenever I look at you and Angela..." he said, caressing her face and grateful that she turned her eyes from the stars above to look at him.

And there was so much of her unconditional love in those sweet brown pools he didn't resist and inched forward, brushing his lips against hers, delighting in the sweet flavour of her mouth, now mixed with mocha taste. Monica surrendered to that caress and lay her hand against his handsome face, wanting that romantic kiss to last for longer. When they pulled away it was just for a second, as another kiss started and this one ended up in tiny pecks over her cheeks and chin and back on her rosy lips.

"If this is my Valentine's present I can say I'm deeply enjoying it..." she whispered, smiling happily as she rubbed her nose against his and then kissed him and stroked his face.

Chuckling, Andrew kissed her lips once again and totally against his will he made a pause in his caresses. "To tell you the truth, if we go on like this we'll end up missing your present..." he said, playfully touching the tip of her nose. Then he reached for his pocket watch and checked the hour. "Hum... It's almost time!"

Much to his amusement, Monica narrowed her eyes and sighed, gazing at him as if trying to read his thoughts and find out the reason for so much mystery. "What is it you're planning after all, mister angel of death?"

"Okay, Monica, I'm gonna show you..." He gently made her change her position in his arms so that now she was leaning her back against his chest and facing the horizon and the open sky. Then, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and another one around her waist and whispered softly against her ear. "Look above, angel. There is your Valentine's day present!"

Andrew kissed her cheek and before she could say something, Monica gasped at what she saw. She squeezed his arm as the first falling star crossed the sky, followed by one, two, three... many of them, and soon the sky was covered by a silver twinkle with the meteor shower. Now everything made sense to her! Andrew's mystery, the reason why he had brought her there, how he carefully arranged everything!

"Oh, Andrew! Look! It's a meteor shower! It's beautiful!" she pointed out, watching as shining celestial bodies crossed the clear sky, even more beautiful with the full moon to complete that scenario. But Andrew had to look away from the show right before his eyes and watch her childlike excitement, her doe-like eyes sparkling like the stars on the sky. He had accomplished his assignment.

Monica soon felt his tender gaze and turned to look at him, meeting warm green pools filled with nothing more than utmost love.

"Don't you want to make a wish?" he playfully asked, running soft fingertips against her delicate face, committing to memory every little detail of her meek Gaelic features.

The Irish angel shook her head, tears of emotion already forming in the corner of her eyes. "It won't be necessary... Remember when you taught me about the galaxies and the universe?"

"How could I ever forget that, baby? I had never seen you more beautiful then..."

She captured his hand in hers and once again, placed it against her heart. "Even if all the stars in the universe crossed the sky before our eyes, they wouldn't be enough to express all the blessings I've been granted when you gave me your love..."

With tenderness, Andrew smiled as a lonely tear made its way down her cheek. He captured it with his finger and that moment a surge of love and devotion nearly overwhelmed him. It was as intense as his gaze at her eyes.

"We're even then... Because my love for you will live longer than those stars could ever live... It's eternal."

As he had predicted, fresh tears fell down from her eyes and he pressed her against his body, daring to tighten the embrace around her a bit more, and they continued to watch the beautiful show up in the sky.

When it was close to the end, the blond angel turned to her with the permanent warm and gentle smile on his face. "Now... even though you're not gonna make a wish, I want you to close your eyes!"

As he reached out to wipe away her tears, Monica sniffled and sobbed. "I'm sorry... I love you so much, Andrew..."

"I love you too, my pretty Monica!"

She swallowed hard and then obliged to his request. But Andrew took the time study her face once again, aware that those pretty features were already etched in his heart forever. "Monica..." he whispered.

"Andrew..." she replied back, and slowly moved her hand to caress his cheek lovingly.

He leaned over and soon the small distance between them was replaced by another sweet and tender kiss, which she welcomed with the same affection, the same love that brought them together, and this time only the moon and the shooting stars in the firmament were the witnesses of their everlasting love.

X

To be continued


	42. Renewed spirits on an Easter Sunday

Angel Of Mine Series Angel Of Mine Series Episode 42: Renewed spirits on an Easter morning

The blond angel's eyes rested on the horizon and witnessed the dawning of the day from behind the green mountains. But the beautiful sunrise and the multitude of different colours playing on the now light blue sky, along with the singing of the birds and the first flowers that were starting to bloom around him, didn't manage to touch his soul like it usually did. At that moment, it seemed that none of God's creations managed to fill his heart with the familiar sense of joy and gratitude.

Despite the gentle sunrays that now caressed his handsome face, Andrew's green pools were tired. Yet, they didn't seek for a reason for the latest events. He knew it too well, as he had witnessed the same thing happening over and over again during the centuries of his existence. Being in charge of escorting God's children Home was always a privilege and an honour to him, but there were times this same duty brought him so much sadness that not even the wonders that surrounded him could make it go away. It was one of these days.

Sighing deeply, Andrew lowered his head and tucked his hands in his pockets, aware that in those woods only the sound of nature could reach his ears - he needed some solitude to cope with the fact that only a few hours earlier he had witnessed a father and a mother crying over their dead child. The little baby girl was nearly a year old and in spite of the doctors efforts, she hadn't resisted to the terrible pneumonia that had attacked her delicate little organism. The angel of death had to take the little one in his arms, and leave behind a desperate young couple who now would grieve for the rest of their life, imagining what their days would be like if their daughter had survived.

The little girl, initially lying lifeless on a neonatal ICU, now was smiling at him, greeting the presence of the angel of God who would take her suffering away. She enjoyed being in his arms, and as much as Andrew loved being around children, but now it hurt him terribly as he felt like a robber. He was stealing away those parents' opportunity to hold their baby, they were supposed to be doing this, not him. But once again, he knew that God works in mysterious ways and that His plan is perfect, so it was not him to judge what is right from wrong. He didn't have to like it all the time, though.

It was then that Andrew found a small object inside his pocket: a tiny silver chain, which he had given Angela when she was born. But now the smart little angel was growing stronger and her chubby arm required a longer chain, so he had kept it and promised that he would take it to a jewellery for adjustment. And it was that little object that made him realise why the death of a young baby had struck him so terribly bad - more than it usually did, which was already too hard for an angel to bear. Andrew was hurting not only for the little one, but for the parents, as now more than ever he could imagine the pain that that man and woman were feeling. Intense, sharp and cruel... leaving an emptiness that might never be filled again.

A gentle hand lay on his shoulder and in a second the atmosphere became warmer and involved with much love. He turned around and the image he could see now - God forbid, was a greater reminder of His everlasting love than the breathtaking scenario before his eyes. The beautiful Irish angel was now in human form like him. She was wearing a lilac turtleneck sweater, blue jeans and a pair of boots, and her auburn hair was cascading over her shoulders with large curls, shining with the sunlight reflected on them, making her glow like in her angelic form.

"I know there are hard times... and that you need some time for yourself, so if you want me to leave, I'll understand..."

He didn't say anything; just stepped forward and held her in his arms as if his own existence depended on it. As she returned the embrace with the same intensity, the angel of death closed his eyes against her hair, breathing in its sweet perfume. Her loving presence was possibly the best remedy to soothe the pain in his soul.

"I felt your sadness... it was so intense it brought me to tears, even though I didn't know why exactly. But I could sense where you were..." she said, never moving from his arms.

After some long moments, he broke the silence. "Love has many consequences, you know, angel. It's undeniable that it makes us see the world through different eyes and be aware of how blessed we are... But it can also bring so much sadness..." his voice was low and she could easily detect the strong emotion in it. It broke her heart.

"For some, it might hurt because they miss being loved... or because their love isn't corresponded. But for others, love hurts because the mere possibility to see those they love suffering sounds like a nightmare. Protectiveness, devotion and affection can do that, you know." Monica spoke, taking in all the sorrow emanating from his soul.

The angel of death finally pulled away and looked at her, searching for her sweet brown pools, a shelter from the storm that was taking place within him. He took her both hands and kissed their back. "I... suppose there's no cure for this..."

"Come with me?" she asked, wrapping her arms around one of his and gently guiding him through the woods. The two angels started a silent walk amongst the tall centenary trees and bushes spread along a narrow trail. Their footsteps against the dry leaves on the ground and the singing of the birds were the only sounds in that secluded part of the Earth. No words were exchanged between Monica and Andrew and they remained quiet for some time. The Irish angel was aware that deep inside his heart her beloved one was still processing the latest events and that eventually he would voice them to her.

Their ten minute walk ended up in a pond, in the middle of the woods. Its crystalline waters were even more transparent due to the sunrays that managed to cross the tree canopies and meet the still waters. There was an old fallen tree trunk on its bank and Monica pulled him to sit there next to her. As he did so, she rested her head over his shoulder, her arms remained wrapped up with his. And despite the pain in his heart, that closeness did manage to warm his soul. The two angels stood by the pond for a while, until he felt ready to speak.

"There were hard moments like this in the past, you know Monica. As devastating and heartbreaking. But I realise that it took a lot more time for my soul to heal then." After a short pause, he turned his eyes from the lake to look at her. "And do you know why?"

"I..."

"Because I didn't have you by my side. That's why every time the sun rises I look up at the sky and thank the Father for sending you to me. And when I thank Him, I'm not only thinking about the good, wonderful moments that we spend together... I'm also thinking about all those times when my soul is broken and then you appear to me... like a good dream."

Moved with the sincerity of his words, and the evident love she could see in his green pools, Monica lay a gentle hand against his handsome face. "My dear Andrew... If you only knew the great joy you bring to my heart just by being you..."

The blond angel reached up and stroked her face, fingertips touching her delicate skin as if touching delicate china. He crossed the distance between them and brushed his lips against hers, in a brief, soothing caress. Then he took her hand in both of his.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked, her soothing voice putting his soul at ease as the minutes passed by.

"My latest assignment was a little baby girl. She was as old as Angela."

Her eyes were immediately filled with tears at hearing that. "I'm so sorry..."

"She... passed away before the sunrise. When I took her in my arms, she smiled at me... She... She reminded me so much of Angela."

"Was it an accident?"

"No. She was ill... extremely ill..."

"Oh, Andrew... You know what you should have in mind then, don't you?"

"I do know. Her suffering had an ending. But what I can't forget is her parents crying when her little heart stopped. They were devastated, and I wondered if somehow I was contributing to this..."

Monica's eyes grew wide as she heard that. "You know this is not true!"

"It feels like..."

As his eyes came to rest on the pond, Monica reached out to stroke his short blond hair. "You have such a gentle and beautiful soul... That's why I love you so much. But you know that our loving Father is watching over this family, and that in His own good time, He will turn tragedy into something good."

"I know. But it still hurts, maybe because now more than never I can imagine what these people are feeling..."

"Then ask yourself what act of kindness you can do in memory of this little girl and her family's pain. Sometimes I imagine what the world would be like if human beings showed some generosity and compassion for their next every time they grieve..."

Andrew took those words to his heart and a few seconds later a slight, bittersweet smile appeared on his lips. He turned his face to look at her again. "I wonder what kind of world we would have if all human beings could feel as much blessed as I feel whenever I look at you."

She returned his shy smile with a loving on and Andrew wasted another moment before pulling her to his arms and holding her tightly. "I love you so much..." he whispered against her ear.

X

One week later...

The silence inside the Parkers' house gave the impression that there wasn't anybody home. But a closer look revealed a crying mother sitting on a bench, in the backyard. She had a small doll in her hands and stared at the object as if holding on to the memories it brought her. A young man soon appeared by the backdoor and it was possible to notice the exhaustion and sorrow deep inside his dark eyes. They were both suffering.

He walked up to the bench and sat down next to her, placing a gentle hand over her shoulder. "Annie, please, come inside."

"It's been a week she's gone, Jeff. We were supposed to be celebrating Easter with her today..."

The man sighed deeply. He didn't know what to say, as he too felt terrible at the absence of their only daughter. All of a sudden, however, someone did break the anguishing silence, and the young couple jumped at the voice that reached their ears.

"Time and God's love will soothe your pain, Mr and Mrs Parker."

They immediately rose to their feet and turned to face a tall blond man, who had appeared in their backyard out of nothing. At first they would think it was an intruder, but the beautiful glow around him and the peaceful atmosphere he brought with him told them that man wouldn't do any harm.

"Who... who are you?" Mr Parker wanted to know.

He gave a step forward. "My name is Andrew, and I'm an angel."

"An angel?" Annie eyed him in disbelief through the tears that never ceased.

"Yes. I have a message from God..." he spoke, and after a short pause, he added. "... and a personal message for both of you..."

"It's about our baby girl, isn't it?" Being two religious people, the man and his wife were immediately moved at the special and totally unexpected visit.

"Yes. Your daughter is now in God's arms, Mr Parker. And there, there's no pain, no fear. Only joy and much love, as she is His child just as you two are."

The young mother shook her head. "I miss her so much... I don't know if I can bear this pain... it's so intense..."

"God knows that. He grieves together with you, Mrs Parker. But He wants you to know that you won't be away from each other forever. One day, all His children will be reunited again, in a Home of infinite love."

"I know... We've always believed that, but what will we do until then?"

"You will grieve for a while, Mrs Parker, as suffering is part of any creature's life." Andrew replied, "And every day this feeling will be less powerful than it was on the day before. But you'll be able to face it if you hold on to the love that first brought you two together. Your love is a blessing too, and God granted it to you so that you can face hard moments like these."

Moved with emotion, the young couple looked at each other and Jeff reached for Annie's hand. "I promise before God that I'll treasure it for the rest of my life."

"Me too... And I know you've been suffering as much as I am, even though you're trying to hold it inside in order to keep me standing, Jeff..."

He held her in his arms and Andrew smiled, glad to witness that scene. "I have something else to tell you. I was sent here exactly today for a reason... Besides the love of a man and a woman, every child is a blessing too, and God wants you to know that you've been blessed for a second time, Mrs Parker. For in your womb there is another life being formed."

The couple looked at each other in disbelief, "What?"

"It's still very little and so fragile! But it'll grow stronger, in a loving home, with loving parents."

"You... you mean... I'm pregnant?"

"Yes, Mrs Parker. And this child will live and grow to make a difference in this world. The little sister that he never got to meet will inspire him to become a great doctor and save many lives... Many babies will be granted with a new chance to live thanks to him."

As Jeff and Annie held each other with tears of joy and emotion falling from their eyes, the blond angel disappeared. Now his assignment was really accomplished.

X

"...and then the wee turtle kept on walking in the forest until she met her friend, the giraffe! _Oh, hullo, Giraffe!_"

The gentle morning sunrays were entering through the window of the cabin, illuminating its interior and making it warm and cozy for the three angels who were staying in there. From the kitchen, it was possible to hear a happy humming. With a permanent smile upon her face, Tess administered Easter lunch and some chocolate cookies in the process of being made inside the stove. And judging by the smell that was spread along the rooms of the pretty cabin lost among the woods, they were all delicious.

Upstairs, in Angela's cute lilac and white bedroom, Monica had spent the last hour sitting on the carpeted wooden floor and telling stories to a cute little baby girl, using her stuffed turtle, giraffe and frog as characters. Angela kept on paying attention to every single action and word that her mom did or said, and once in a while raised her little head to look at Monica with a smile that would melt even the hardest of the hearts.

The Irish angel had offered to help Tess prepare lunch for that sunny (yet chilly) Easter Sunday but the old supervisor had "kindly" shoved her out of the kitchen and told her to spend some time with her little daughter instead. And truth to be told, the moments Monica spent together with the little one were precious and she kept each of them inside her heart.

While Angela's chubby hands held the small giraffe, Monica took the turtle and made it walk until it finally "met" her long-necked friend. Then, chuckling at the baby's amusement, the Irish angel made a second voice in order to reply the "giraffe's" greeting. "_Oh, hullo, miss turtle! Where are you going on such a lovely day_?"

The little one giggled when her mom made the two stuffed toys move, as if they were really talking with each other, and the sound filled not only Monica's heart with joy, but also Andrew's. He had been standing right next to the bedroom door for the latest minute and watching with eyes moved with emotion as his two precious treasures interacted with each other. And with his daughter's laughter, he couldn't help but to step forward, feeling the need to join them.

"Hey! Looks like a certain little angel is having a real nice Easter morning along with her friends and her pretty mom!" he said, and both turned their heads to look at him, greeting the blond angel with a broad smile upon their faces.

"Oh, look, wee one! It's your daddy!" Monica exclaimed, feeling secretly happy that Andrew would spend that beautiful day along with them.

Andrew joined them on the carpeted floor and placed the shopping bag he was carrying right next to him. Then he took his little angel in his arms and, marvelled at her smile back at him, he kissed her rosy cheeks repeatedly. "Oh, how I missed this cute little angel of mine!" he said, receiving another small giggle in reply. When he placed her back on the floor, the blond angel turned to look at her mother, "She and her equally cute mom, which also happens to be mine!"

Smiling, she returned his loving gaze. "Oh, but for this wee one and me this Easter Sunday is quite special already now that someone we love very, very much is here with us!" she replied, bending her head to receive a loving peck on the lips.

"Well, I hope you two gorgeous ladies like these little gifts I brought..."

He reached for the bag and first took a small stuffed rabbit inside of it. Angela's curious eyes watched as he made the little toy jump towards her_. "Hey, little Angela! I'm Mr Rabbit! Can I play with you and your friends too?_" he spoke, touching her little nose with the fluffy toy. And to her parents' joy, she smiled and grabbed the object with both hands, visibly happy with that new "friend".

"Hum... I guess our wee angel likes Mr Rabbit!" Monica saw as Andrew took another pack from inside the bag: it was a heart shaped box of chocolates.

"And I hope her mom likes it..."

"Andrew!"

Her excited voice made him chuckle. "And all of them are filled with coffee!"

"Oh, they taste wonderfully!" she said, looking at the beautiful box.

"I know!" there was something mischievous in his reply, and she didn't miss his gaze at her, and his equally mischievous smile.

Highly amused, and slightly blushed, she returned his gaze at her. Aiming her lips, Andrew crossed the small distance between them, but before they shared another loving kiss, a sound caused their hearts to jump.

"Mummy!"

Monica and Andrew immediately turned their heads to look down at little Angela, and saw her gazing up at them with a broad smile and curious green eyes.

"Angela? Sweetie... did... did you just speak...?" the Irish angel didn't know what to say.

Andrew was as surprised as she was. "Honey, did you just call your mommy?"

And after a small giggle, Angela surprised them again. "Daddy!"

"Oh, goodness gracious, Andrew! She can speak!"

"Yes, she can! Our little angel can speak!"

Moved with emotion, he took Angela in his arms and they filled her rosy cheeks with lots of kisses, now listening as she repeated the two simple words that melted their hearts.

Tess didn't miss their excited voices and also went upstairs to know what was going on.

"But what's so funny? I can hear you down in the kitchen!" she said, looking at them with eyebrows raised.

"Tess, our wee one! You have no idea what she's just done!" the Irish angel announced, she and Andrew rising to their feet with the little one in her father's arms.

"What is it for heaven's sake?!" the supervisor anxiously wanted to know. And before they could say something else, Angela surprised them once again.

" 'Tie Tess!"

"Oh, baby! My angel baby girl can speak! Yes, you can speak, can't you?" The oldest angel's eyes were immediately filled with joy as she heard Angela's baby voice, "Aw, come here with your auntie Tess! Let me hold my little angel girl!"

And she wasted no time in taking her in her arms and, like her parents had done before, she kissed those rosy cheeks again and again. Shedding some tears of happiness, Monica looked at her beloved Andrew and he placed an arm around her shoulders, brining her closer to him in a warm embrace. He kissed her temple lovingly.

"I'm so happy, angel... Just so happy..." the angel of death whispered, while baby's giggles filled the air on that blessed Easter Sunday.

X

Darkness had already fallen upon that secluded part of the Earth. Inside the cabin the only source of light were the flames dancing in the fireplace, in the cosy living room. With a happy smile, Monica had been sitting opposite the fire and had just finished to drink a mug of mocha. She placed it over the coffee table in front of her, where also lay a half empty chocolate box. The Irish angel heard footsteps coming down the stairs and a second later, Andrew joined her on the sofa.

"Assignment accomplished?" she asked, not missing the spark of joy in his eyes.

The blond angel nodded with a smile, "Little angel sleeping peacefully in her bedroom!"

"She had quite a busy day!"

"I can't remember kissing her so much like we did today!" as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Monica inched closer to him, resting her head upon his chest and listening to his steady heartbeats.

"I think the emotions of the day did manage to make you feel better..."

Andrew placed a stray piece of hair behind her ear, tenderly caressing her meek face. "I'd say this is what we're celebrating today, right? The chance to renew our soul... As sad as it can be, things have an end. But they have a beginning too, and this new journey can bring so much joy and so many wonderful things..."

"I'm so happy to hear it from you..."

He returned her smile and brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Do you know what'll never end, angel?" Andrew spoke after some minutes of pleasant silence.

Monica tilted her head to look up at him in a way he'd always found especially endearing. "What?"

"My love for you!" Andrew whispered against her ear, and then brushed another kiss against her cheek, enjoying to see as her smile grew wider. Then he added, "And I'm wondering if those chocolates still taste as good as they did the last time I tried them!"

Narrowing her eyes, she inched a bit closer, "There's only one way to find it out, you know?"

A second later, he brushed his lips against hers, in a sweet and tender kiss. The silence of the night was only broken by the cooing of a white dove that flew over that pretty cabin up in the mountains and lost in the woods, on a peaceful Easter Sunday.

To be continued


	43. The unexpected assignment

_Thanks everybody for the feedback on the latest episode! I hope you like this one, its sequel is in the process of being made winks_

**Angel Of Mine Series**

**Episode 43: The unexpected assignment **

Monica watched with childlike curiosity as Andrew put the marshmallows in a stick, in front of a warm and big fireplace lit up hours before, when the sun started to set in the horizon. Everything had happened unexpectedly: the Irish angel was on the other side of the country helping a family in need when she was told to meet him by the end of the afternoon. His green eyes greeting her brown ones at a distance as he waited for her next to Tess' Cadillac flooded her heart with a wave of joy - they hadn't seen each other for three weeks and that reunion was more than welcome.

But they weren't together simply to hold each other and confess how much they had missed each other's company. They were on assignment and so far their instructions were to head to the woods and build up a campsite. She had helped him with this chore and neatly arranged their objects in and outside their tent. But she knew that it wouldn't be easy to convince him to let her intervene in the cooking department.

"I still cannot believe that this is an assignment, you know, Andrew?" she said, as if trying to solve a mystery. "It definitely doesn't look like one..."

Chuckling at the funny and adorable expression on her face, he turned the sticks over the fire, giving them the right amount of heat so that they would not burn. "Well, yes, you're right... But on second thoughts, we've had plenty of assignments that started in a very unusual manner."

"That's true..." an amused smile appeared on her face as she tilted her head and looked at him - blond hair brightened up by the light coming from the fireplace. "... but if you ask me, it seems a bit of a romantic date, like the ones you always surprise me with once in a while!"

Chuckling even more, he leaned to the side and pecked her lips. "Then it was about time I should do it one more time!"

"Definitely!" she said, as she too bent her head and kissed his cheek. Then she kept on talking, looking at the marshmallows with interested eyes. "I'm wondering if perhaps I could help you with the cooking?"

Andrew raised his eyebrows and looked at her determined to deny that request, but he knew that sometimes those sweet brown eyes would defeat him. The blond angel wondered if in the future little Angela would have the same power over him, and he was almost certain that she would.

X

"I'm so sorry..." Monica's voice, which held an inch of embarrassment, was almost making him laugh. Half an hour after they started to prepare food, their dinner was only saved because Andrew had been careful enough not to let her cook everything, otherwise there wouldn't be anything left to eat that night. But after an almost disastrous dinner, the two angels lay down next to each other on a comforter to watch the night sky.

"It's okay..." he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her closer to him. "Next time we can bring everything ready so we don't have to do the cooking, what do you think?"

She looked up at him and frowned. "What would be the fun then?"

He thought for a moment, and then replied, but with a mock serious expression. "Hum... Well, we could have more time to do other things."

Now the one with a pensive expression on her face was Monica, and seconds later she finally nodded. "I guess you're right there! I always enjoyed watching the stars with you, for example, and it's been a while since we last had a class!" Monica exclaimed, turning her face to the starry sky above their heads.

Chuckling, and shaking his head at the somewhat naivety of his beloved angel girl, he kissed her temple and also took the time to contemplate the firmament; thousands of bright lights shining upon them, reminding them that there was a higher power watching over all creatures on Earth.

"Let's see if you remember the astronomy classes I gave you a while ago..." Andrew spoke, tenderly caressing her temple with his thumb.

"Oh, but I do! All of them!" she immediately replied, looking at him for a moment and then back at the sky. She started to point out the constellations and the locations of the stars, and sometimes Andrew would show her some other ones, which she hadn't had the opportunity to learn about. Watching her enthusiasm and how her sweet brown eyes sparkled as she kept on speaking brought Andrew an amazing sensation of inner peace. As days and years passed by, the angel of death was more and more certain that having that warm hearted creature by his side was a present, a blessing that he would treasure for his entire existence. Yet, imagining his existence away from her was something he had already decided to be impossible.

As the hours passed, Monica's eternal chatter slowly subsided, and when she turned her tired pools to look at him, he felt a mix of tenderness and compassion as she was almost asleep.

"... Andrew?" she spoke, with a very low voice.

He ran hand along her hair and removed a stray piece away from her eye. "Yes, angel?"

"Do you think it's late for an angel in human form to go to bed?"

Her question caused him to chuckle, and he brought her closer to him so that he could kiss her forehead. "I believe it is the right time for a certain lovely angel that I happen to know..."

Andrew waited for her answer to come but he soon realised that, as he had pulled her closer, Monica snuggled against his chest and found it a really good place to fall asleep. That fact only amused the blond angel even more.

"Monica... You are just adorable..." he whispered into her ear, kissing her temple repeatedly. Then, very carefully not to wake her up, he sat down holding the little angel in his arms. Andrew passed his other arm underneath her knees and took a firm hold around her shoulders, and finally rose to his feet carrying his precious cargo to the tent built up just a few steps away. There, he carefully deposited her on the soft comforter and covered her small form with a warm blanket.

But instead of lying down next to her, he remained sitting on the fluffy floor and staring at her with a mix of joy and a slight shadow of doubt in his green eyes. What was their assignment? What were they doing there in the middle of the woods? If they were near the cabin he would feel more relaxed and confident about their mission, but the two angels in human form were miles away from their usual earthly home and that fact made him feel quite vulnerable. Sighing deeply, he ran delicate fingertips against her face, watching as she had drifted off to a peaceful sleep, trusting that she was twice protected - by her beloved angel of death and by their loving Father.

"Father... please forgive me for my insecurity... I should learn from this beautiful angel that You sent to me a while ago that I have to trust You wholeheartedly. And even though I do, sometimes I still fear..."

Listening to the silence of the night, the blond angel lifted his prayers not only asking for peace to his worried heart but also thanking for the opportunity to be reunited with Monica once again after weeks of separation. He prayed for their dear friend Tess, and for little Angela, who would be in the oldest angel's arms, filling the atmosphere around her with joy and much laughter.

Also tired from driving and building up a campsite, he closed the tent and lay down next to Monica sometime later. His green eyes remained on her and it didn't take too long before the little angel inched closer to him and found comfort in his arms again. With her head now pillowed underneath his chin, she never woke up or spoke a word, but it was possible to see there was a slight smile in the corner of her lips, a small sign of the joy she was feeling inside for being there.

Overwhelmed with tenderness, he brushed a loving kiss against her forehead and kept on caressing her auburn hair, now spread over his left arm. Minutes later, he too fell into a deep sleep, soothed by Monica's loving presence.

X

When Monica opened up her eyes the sun rays were already shining upon their tent, clearing up its interior and immediately making it clear for her that her beloved Andrew was already up and outside. She rolled her eyes at herself, visibly embarrassed at the fact that she would always sleep more whenever they were together. Besides this, that wasn't a romantic date, they had been sent there on assignment, and she had to be alert when the time to act arrived. Rubbing her eyes, she rose to her feet and looked for the shoes she was wearing on the previous night - and which she knew Andrew had removed while she was asleep.

"Andrew?" her Irish lilt echoed around the campsite, but met with silence. The little angel looked around her and then at the small table with their breakfast and bit her lower lip at the realisation that there wasn't much food left. There was also shame and guilt in her eyes as she knew the reason for that had been the little incident she had caused on the previous night and wondered if Andrew was somewhere searching for food.

"One day I'll make you proud, you know..." Sighing deeply, she walked around the site and decided to admire her surroundings while her dearest Andrew didn't return. The chilly air of the mountains caused her to button her purple cardigan but the sparkle in her eyes didn't leave any doubt - it was truly an amazing place. The tall green trees served as a shelter not only from the sun in the hotter days but also as the home for entire birds families that had built up their nests there and now spread an everlasting melody throughout the woods. Some flowers spread along her way also enchanted Monica and she picked some to decorate their temporary home. Breathing in their sweet smell and fascinated at the beauty around her, the Irish angel kept on walking without having a certain destination and, what's worse, without paying much attention to the path she was following.

X

A while after Monica had left, Andrew returned to their campsite carrying a basket with fresh fruit and some water taken from a fountain not far from there. The site had not been tampered with so he concluded that his beloved angel girl was still sleeping. Chuckling, he deposited their food on the small table and headed to their tent. It was then that he realised it was open and poking his head inside the blond angel found out that Monica was already up.

But where was she? Andrew wondered if she was looking for him, and quietly blamed himself for going out without telling her so. Sighing deeply, he ran a hand through his short blond hair and looked around, carefully scanning the area with attentive green eyes. "Monica? Can you hear me?"

But there was no answer to his calling.

"Angel... where are you? Please, don't do this to me..." his whispered voice held nervousness and much worry. "Father, if this is our assignment, please keep her safe until I find her..."

Andrew didn't wait any longer and set off to search for the little angel who had left a permanent imprint in his heart but who he knew was prone to accidents and ending up at places where she initially wasn't supposed to be.

X

When the sunrays started to become warmer Monica removed her cardigan and realised that by that time she was supposed to be back to the campsite. But after she passed by the tree with a funny-looking trunk shape twice, the little angel also realised something was not okay. She decided not to panic first, and returned to the spot where she had started her walk back to the site. But then she took a turn on a few bushes that she hadn't seen before. Frowning, Monica didn't know that the more she walked, the more she was away from the place where she and Andrew had settled.

The Irish angel walked for 10 minutes and finally had to admit to herself that she was lost. Again. Shaking her head, she felt even more frustrated with herself. She had not only made him leave early in the morning to fetch them food and water, but also worry about her whereabouts - as she knew he could be already looking for her.

"I'm so sorry..." she whispered, looking around without knowing where to head. But a sound reached her ears and immediately called her attention - it was running water. There was a river somewhere nearby. Monica couldn't avoid getting a little nervous at that fact, even though Andrew had helped her to overcome that fear she still felt some restrictions concerning huge masses of water. She gave a few steps and noticed that the sound was a bit louder. But before she could turn around, a much more frightening sound reached her ears - it was a woman's cry.

At that moment, the angel understood what she was doing there and that she had to rush before it was too late. A human life depended on her.

To be continued


	44. A mother's prayer, an angel's prayer

**Angel Of Mine Series **

**Episode 44: A mother's prayer, an angel's prayer**

Instinctively, Monica followed the sound of the desperate cries that echoed through the woods on that sunny Saturday morning. She and Andrew had been sent to a campsite on the previous day and so far they wondered what exactly their assignment was. And truth to be told, she was already thinking that maybe there had been a change of plans and that their going there wasn't necessary anymore.

But at the moment the little angel heard those cries breaking the silence of the woods she knew that there was a mission to be fulfilled and, judging by the urgency of the woman's callings, she had to be fast. The plea for help got as closer as the noise of the running water. Suddenly, the vegetation ended and gave place to a very steep slope, and Monica nearly stumbled at its top. There was a car very close to the river and held just by a thin tree trunk - were that tree not there, it would have fallen straight into the river, and the strong water stream would have carried it away.

"Please, somebody help us!" the desperate woman's voice repeated, and with her heart pounding loudly in her chest, Monica soon realised that the car had slipped away from the road not far from there and rolled down the slope.

"I can hear you! I'm coming!" the angel replied, and facing her own fear, she started to go down the slope - the unstable and soft ground underneath her shoes threatening to collapse at any moment. The river waters were running so strongly that if she fell in them, Monica knew that the chances of her swimming back to the surface were almost zero.

Grasping at the scarce vegetation along the way, and feeling her entire human body trembling, she got closer to the car and saw that it had rolled a few times during its fall.

"Please, miss, help my daughter! She hit her head and is unconscious and I guess I broke my leg!" the woman pleaded. Monica was scared to see the nasty gash she had on her forehead and even more worried to see that the five-year-old little girl lying on the back seat seemed to have fainted during the accident.

"Hold on... I'll help you get out of there..." the angel replied with trembling voice.

But the woman in the car shook her head. "No! Please, take my daughter first! Take her out of the car and carry her up the slope, to a safe place!"

Monica looked at the little girl - yes, she wanted to save the child and take her away from that dangerous place but it would take her too long and she feared that the tree trunk that supported the car weight would break soon; it was possible to feel it crushing already.

"I could take your daughter and then help you..."

"Are you a mother?" the woman asked, staring at Monica straight in her eyes.

"Y-yes..."

"Then you do understand me... I want her safe... only my baby matters now!"

"I... I do..." the angel replied, and forcing back a few tears, she proceeded in opening the back door. The belt was wrapped around the little girl's body and when Monica leaned over to remove it, the car moved a little. With trembling hands, she managed to set the child free and pulled her out of the vehicle, which, once again, bent to the left.

Monica's heart ached twice. The vision of a wounded child had always been too painful to stare at, and after little Angela came into her existence she loathed it even more. But there was also something else that worried her deeply and caused her heart to break: she and Andrew had been requested there on assignment, and now that she had found out what her job was, she wondered if Andrew was there as an angel of death, in charge of taking that poor mother Home, and away from her daughter.

She knew that this duty would break his heart too, and it would also destroy a family. Some tears fell from her eyes as she finally managed to take the little girl out of the car. "She's breathing." Monica said, a little relieved.

"Please, save my little daughter! Find help!" the mother's plea broke her heart and in a way that she could fully understand. Besides, there was no way she could also help the woman out of the vehicle at the same time, and she felt that it would soon fall in the river.

"I'll take her to a safe place and I'll come and get you," the angel said, as she saw the woman closing her eyes, somewhat surrendering to the pain and suffering.

She carried the child up the slope with so much difficulty that her human form ended up hurt as well. Some cuts caused by the small twigs on the way, along with the difficulty to carry an unconscious five-year-old in her arms, made Monica take long minutes to reach the top.

"Father, please, help me... Please, take care of this little girl and allow me to go to her mother..." the Irish angel prayed as she carefully lay the child's small body on the ground. "There was so much love in her eyes... I saw it and I know it was genuine, unconditional... Please, allow her to live..."

Monica was ready to go back to the car when a loud and terrifying noise reached her ears: the thin tree trunk that was holding the vehicle gave in and the car rolled down the slope and fell in the troubled river waters.

"Oh, no! No!" the angel's crying voice held a lot more sadness than any other angel's, as she more than any other knew what it meant for that mother to be away from her child. With tears of sadness falling from her doe-like eyes, she took the little girl in her arms again. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart... Please, forgive me... I should have been here earlier..."

But before she knew it, the angel felt another presence on that tragic scenario - a familiar loving presence which she had long got used to. When Monica raised her head she saw Andrew coming closer to her. He was in his angelic form but carried a human body in his arms: the mother of the child she had just saved.

"Andrew?" she spoke, looking at him through blurred eyes filled with tears.

"She's alive, angel. She's just passed out..." he was quick to inform, aware of the anguish inside her loving heart.

"You're... you're not taking her Home?"

"No," the angel of death placed the woman on the ground, next to her daughter. "... there was a change of plans..."

"What do you mean, Andrew?"

"Initially I was here as an angel of death. But..." he reached out and stroked her cheek, "... an angel's prayer and a loving and selfless mother's attitude granted these two a new chance to remain together."

Monica's crying smile at those happy news did make him feel equally happy and the blond angel also lifted a silent prayer thanking his loving Father for sending him there not to fulfil his usual duty but to help his beloved Monica save a human being's life.

X

"Where's my daughter? Where's Nathalie?"

Those were the woman's first words when she woke up one day later, and the nurse that was assisting her was quick to put her heart at ease. "She is in the children's ICU, recovering from a concussion on her head and some few scratches, but she's doing fine and doctors will probably remove her to a bedroom tomorrow."

Tears immediately filled her eyes at that piece of news. "Oh, my God! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The nurse smiled - she had witnessed so many sad stories along her career that watching the joy in the woman's bruised face did make that job worth doing.

"I've made so many mistakes in my life, you know, that I thought I didn't deserve God's mercy..." the patient kept on talking.

"Everybody deserves it if they're truly regretful, miss. We're all his children, why would you be different?"

"I did and said so many terrible things..."

"All I can tell you is that God is a forgiving and loving Father..."

The woman wiped away a few tears and made the other question that was on her mind. "Where... where's the lady that found us? The one who helped me out..."

"Lady? No, you were brought here by the paramedics who were heading to the nearest town. There was an emergency call for them and can you believe it that later on we found out it was false?" she replied, with some annoyance at the mock phone call. "Well, anyway, they were driving along the road when they found you two."

"No... wait, there was lady who found us in the car... She fist took Nathalie and then... I believe there was a man too... I... I don't remember very well..."

The nurse stared at her in disbelief. "Weren't you the one who brought your daughter up the slope?"

"Oh, no! I couldn't move! There was a young lady who heard my calling for help, she came down the slope and I begged her to save Nathalie!"

"There was nobody there, miss. Only you and your daughter..."

"That's impossible! I spoke to her! And I believe I saw a blond man too!"

Frowning, the nurse kept on staring at her patient with surprise and amazement.

"Look at me! How could I bring my daughter out of the car if my leg and my arm were broken? How could I climb up that slope if even a healthy person would have difficulty in doing so?"

If the nurse was thinking that the accident the woman's condition were making her confused, now those words made her change her mind. She was right: no one under those circumstances would have managed to escape that accident by themselves.

"You're right... And I think God has truly forgiven you for your mistakes, because now I have no doubt He granted you a miracle..."

"A miracle?" she spoke, with more tears of emotion falling from her eyes.

"Yes... by sending His angels to help you and your daughter at this difficult hour..."

Unseen to their eyes, Monica and Andrew watched as their assignment, in tears of joy and emotion, bowed her head and thanked God for sending them to help her.

"Happy now, angel?" he spoke, watching as she too wiped a tear away and was deeply moved at the scene right before her eyes.

"Yes... so much, Andrew..." she said, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. And holding the same smile, Monica looked up at him. "And so are you! It's not even necessary to love you so much to feel it!"

Also smiling, the blond angel bent his head and kissed her temple lovingly, "Let's go now... Our presence is being requested some other place, far from this hospital."

"Really? Where?" she was immediately worried, wondering if there was someone who needed their help.

"Well... come with me..." Andrew remained serious, trying his best to hide the hint of mischief in his green pools.

X

Distances in their angelic form were easily run in a matter of seconds, and a heartbeat after Monica and Andrew had left the hospital, they were in the middle of the woods, where they regained their human forms. But those were familiar to them and so was the cozy cabin right before their eyes. The smoke coming out of the chimney and the sweet smell of food by the kitchen window were a sign that someone very dear to them had been cooking.

Andrew finally got rid of the mock serious expression and smiled at the image of his dear angel girl's joy to be back there. "Our cabin!"

"Yes, and I believe we should come in!" he said, gently guiding her up to the doorstep and opening the door a second later: Tess and a cheerful little Angela greeted her with a broad smile.

"Oh, goodness gracious! Tess! Angela!"

"Finally the one who's celebrating her day is here!" the supervisor spoke, as Monica rushed towards her and took her baby daughter in her arms.

"Mummy!" the little angel greeted, receiving lots of kisses in reply.

"Mommy missed you so much, wee one!" she said, and then looked at her dearest friend. "Oh, Tess... Thank you so much!" She kept Angela in one arm and held the oldest angel tightly, "I missed you too, you know... So much..."

"Oh, baby... you're as much as a daughter to me as little Angela here is to you!" the supervisor replied, returning that warm embrace.

Pleased to see that reunion, Andrew wrapped his long arms around their both shoulders. "And that's why I prepared you two a surprise for this mother's day!"

"A surprise, Andrew? Another one?" Monica wanted to know.

"I thought my mother's day lunch was the surprise!" Tess exclaimed, with visible annoyance.

The blond angel chuckled at their reaction. "Look again!"

And before they knew it, lots of rose bouquets, coloured in white, yellow and pink, filled the cabin.

"Andrew!"

"Oh, angel boy!"

"For you two beautiful mothers, who I happen to love very, very much!" he said, kissing Tess' cheek and Monica's lips.

"I love you two as if you were my children, babies... And this little angel here as my granddaughter."

"We thank God each and every day for having you by our side, Tess..." Monica spoke, as moved as her supervisor.

Angela's excited eyes were wider at the vision of the coloured room and she raised her chubby little arm and pointed at the roses that surrounded them with curiosity and amazement. "_Fower_!"

That cute baby's voice caused them to let out a happy laugh.

"She helped me to pick them all!" Andrew added, and kissed his little angel's cheek.

And laughing, that happy "family" sat down by the table to enjoy a delicious dinner on that sunny mother's day, aware of the loving bond that would certainly keep them together for the centuries to come.

X

Later at night...

Monica watched through the living room window as the night fell softly upon Earth and the sky was slowly filled with thousand of sparkling stars; the bright full moon and a soft breeze blowing through the ever green mountains completed the beauty of the scenario. That peaceful atmosphere along with the warmth coming from the fireplace allowed a certain little angel to fall into a peaceful sleep in her mother's arms. Angela's little head against her chest caused the Irish angel to feel such a great joy that it brought tears to her eyes once in a while. With a happy smile, she listened as Andrew tidied the kitchen up after that night's dinner and once he was over, she felt a pair of gentle hands over her shoulders.

"Looks like somebody here had a busy day..." the blond angel spoke against her ear, also smiling at the image of his asleep daughter in her mother's arms - a vision of such perfection that it could never be put into words.

"Every day I'm more and more certain that she likes my singing, you know, Andrew..." Monica spoke, in a low voice and with so much amazement that he couldn't help chuckling.

"She's not the only one!" he said, brushing a loving kiss against her cheek, and wrapping his arms around his two angelic sweethearts.

"Will you help me to put her into bed?" she spoke again, after a few minutes in a pleasant silence.

"That is an assignment I'll always be happy to fulfil!"

They moved away and when they faced the living room another image caused both angels to laugh: an open-mouthed Tess was fast asleep in the comfortable sofa facing the fireplace.

"Seems it's not only our little angel here who was lulled by your singing!" the blond angel joked, making Monica suppress another laughter.

"She must be tired too, you know. After all, she worked so much to prepare lunch and dinner and still took care of wee Angela..." the Irish angel spoke, tilting her head to look at Tess with tenderness.

Andrew nodded in agreement, equally glad to have the oldest angel in their life. "Yes, you're right..."

"Hold Angela for me a little, will you?"

"Sure..."

Without giving any explanation, Monica carefully handed him the sleeping baby and quickly climbed up the stairs. Intrigued, Andrew kissed the top of Angela's head and remained where he was, gently rocking the baby and waiting to see what his beloved angel girl was planning. The Irish angel returned a minute later, holding a warm blanket, which she threw over Tess' body.

"We don't need to wake her up, you know. The fireplace and this blanket will keep her warm enough, and she seems to be comfortable in here..." she finally said, straightening the quilt around her beloved friend. Happy to see that task accomplished, the angel bent over and kissed the supervisor's cheek. "Have a good night, Tess. We love you..."

After those whispered words, Monica offered her hand to Andrew but before they walked up to the stairs, he spoke again. "Wait a minute... Today is your day to put angels to bed!" He said, handing little Angela back to her.

Smiling happily, the two angels climbed up the stairs up to Angela's bedroom, where Monica gently deposited her in her crib and covered her with a blanket - after she and Andrew filled the little one's rosy cheeks with kisses.

"It was one of the happiest days of my existence, you know, Andrew..." the Irish angel spoke, sighing with joy as he held her tightly against his chest while both looked at their sleeping baby.

"Of mine too... But well... all days spent with you are 'the best days of my existence'!" he said, kissing the top of her head as she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.

"How... how long can you stay?" the Irish angel wanted to know, even though she was afraid of the answer.

"I haven't got any instructions to go anywhere... Guess on the mother's day I'm the one who received a present by spending it with those I love so much..."

A smile appeared on Monica's face. "You mean you have more free time?"

"Well, yes." He looked down at her and gently placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess you can have an extra astronomy class then!"

She finally opened her eyes to meet his green ones, seeing her own image reflected in their dark centres; aware of the immense love they managed to transmit. "I'm afraid I'll skip tonight's astronomy class, you know..." she spoke, in a low voice, as if confessing a surprising secret, and causing Andrew to frown with some doubt.

"Skip tonight's class?"

"Yes... I've been thinking and I guess you were right about something you told me at the campsite!"

"I told you? And... what would that be?"

"Well, I believe our time together could be optimised if we divide it better!"

He still couldn't understand where she was getting at but even so, Andrew chuckled at her wording and at the serious expression on her face - she always looked amazingly adorable to him whenever she was elaborating her thoughts and somewhat confusing reflections.

"_Optimised_? Really?" he repeated, still trying to understand her.

"Yes! Like for example right now I think you should bend your head a wee bit lower!"

The affectionate look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know, and now with a mischievous smile, Andrew bent down and tightened the hold around her a bit more. "As you wish!"

Their lips met a second later, in a soulful kiss that sealed that happy mother's day. Monica's hands travelled up from Andrew's strong chest to his shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he deepened that sweet caress a bit more, entangling his fingers through her hair, cherishing the fact that his precious angel girl was there, in his arms.

"I love you... I guess I haven't said that in the latest hour..." the angel of death whispered against her ear, once they broke their kiss, but still placing tiny kisses along her jaw and causing a broad smile to appear on her face.

"Well... we have a small eternity of joy in the next few hours... and I'll enjoy listening to you saying it again, and again..."

Andrew smiled back before his lips captured hers in another loving kiss.

Hearts permanently connected.

Souls forever joined.

To be continued


	45. Learning to forgive

**Angel Of Mine Series **

**Episode 45: Learning to forgive**

"Forget it, Monica. What Alan did to me I cannot forgive... My brother walked out on his family when his mother and sister needed him the most... And now just out of nothing he decided to appear? Does he have any idea what mom and I had to go through during these five years that he stayed away? Was he there when she passed away? Was he there to support me through all my pain?"

The woman's harsh words caused the angel to frown, both in worry and with sorrow. Monica had just revealed her true nature and announced what she was doing there, but apparently the fact that there was a messenger of God standing in her living room didn't touch Sarah's heart.

"You weren't alone then... You had your husband and your daughter... and most importantly, you had God on your side." The Irish angel replied, fearing that after all the time she'd been there she wouldn't be able to accomplish her assignment and make that woman forgive her brother.

"You know, you're right in there, Monica. Despite the fact that Alan walked away, I moved on... I met my husband, and we had a beautiful daughter. I don't need him. I never did."

"Alan is sorry... truly sorry for what he did... Don't you think you should at least give him a chance to talk to you? Maybe he has something to tell you, something that you never knew..."

"Sorry, Monica. All that my brother did to me stops me from playing God and going around granting forgiveness to those who've hurt me so bad..."

x

Monica reappeared outside the house, still in her angelic form, and as she gazed at the beautiful cottage, another angel approached her. "I guess I failed, Tess..."

"I've tried everything I could to make Sarah see the truth..."

The old angel and supervisor nodded in understanding. "I know how hard you tried, baby... And I'm sorry her heart isn't open for the Father's message."

"I wish there was something else I could do... Maybe there must be something I can say to her and that will touch her heart... something I still haven't figured out."

Tess placed a supportive hand over Monica's shoulder. "You did your best, angel girl. Now let's allow time and the course of events make her see the real truth."

Sighing with some frustration, the Irish angel turned to her dear friend. "And what should I do now?"

"There's a place where your presence is very welcomed," Tess replied, with a slight smile.

Monica's eyes immediately sparkled at that piece of news. "Is it what I'm thinking, Tess?"

"This assignment has demanded a lot from you, baby. You should give yourself a break. Besides, I've been told time is crucial for it to be accomplished."

On the following second, the oldest angel had disappeared, and the younger one reappeared miles and miles away from where they were: Monica was standing in the middle of the woods. And right before her eyes, the pretty cozy cabin that had always been a peaceful and safe shelter for the angels whenever they were on Earth.

"Oh, thank you, Father."

She walked towards it and climbed the porch steps as the door had been left ajar, she elected to come inside quietly, and immediately, her ears were filled with two different sounds: Andrew's voice and Angela's excited giggling. They were coming from the kitchen and as the blond angel prepared lunch, the baby had been placed in a meal chair, safely away from him but close enough so that she could watch him and they could "chat".

When Monica reached the kitchen's door, she stood quiet for a few instants, just observing the two most important blessings she had ever been granted. But due to Andrew and Angela's nature it wasn't difficult for them to detect her presence, as the connection that the trio shared was a strong and loving one. Both turned their eyes to the door and their smile grew wider at Monica's image.

"Hey, little angel, look who's here!" the angel of death exclaimed, leaving his previous task to greet his beloved Monica.

"Mummy!" Little Angela raised a pair of chubby little arms and with a smile that was broad enough to reveal her two inferior teeth growing.

"You two are the best images I've seen in the last three weeks..." she was visibly moved with emotion, and when Andrew wrapped his arms around her, in a long, tight and loving embrace, he knew she would soon shed a few tears.

"We missed you so much, angel..." he whispered in her ear, lifting her feet off the floor a little, also desperate to have her in his arms after so much time of painful separation.

"I can say exactly the same about you two..."

Andrew gently pulled away and cupped her beautiful face with both hands, studying every meek feature he could see in there. A moment later, their lips met, in a soulful kiss that could have the impact of a thousand loving words yet to be exchanged by two souls. When they pulled away, their eyes met briefly and a smile appeared on their faces before Monica turned her attention to another angel, who shook her tiny arms again, with a certain impatience.

A heartbeat later, Angela was exactly where she wanted to be, and Monica filled her rosy cheeks with lots of kisses. "Oh, wee Angela... Mommy missed you so much, sweetheart... How I wished I could hold you in my arms like this again!" she spoke, touching Angela's noise with hers, eliciting a cheerful smile from the little one.

Andrew watched the interaction between them with his heart bursting with joy. He could also detect some sadness in his angel's heart, but elected to leave it for later. Now it was time to enjoy that reunion and he wrapped his arms around the two of them, kissing the top of their heads repeatedly. "Besides doing the Father's work, I cannot think of anything that can give me more joy other than moments like these..."

With a happy smile, Monica snuggled against his chest, sighing deeply with relief and allowing that loving and peaceful atmosphere to fill her soul.

X

"Looks like you have another wee fan of your food, Andrew!" Monica joked, as she offered Angela the last spoon of the meal he had so carefully prepared, while they too had their lunch sitting at the kitchen table. Some of her food dripped down her tiny chin and the little one's smile amused them deeply.

"Cooking for two beautiful ladies is inspiring and a great pleasure!" he replied, reaching over to squeeze Monica's free hand. And even though her smile remained he could see something was still bothering her. Once they were finished, he offered to wash the dishes so that the Irish angel could spend some quality time with Angela. Andrew was already sorting out how he would bring out the subject that was certainly making her sad. He knew she would eventually seek for his reassurance, like she always did, but the angel of death also knew that soon he would be called on a new assignment, so they didn't have much time.

His two beloved angels were sitting on the carpeted floor, with some little toys placed in front of Angela. Even though Monica had rocked her in her arms after lunch, the little one wasn't in the mood for a nap. Andrew joined them by sitting on the floor, right next to Monica.

"How was the assignment, angel?" he wanted to know, gently caressing her cheek.

"Once I told Tess it's easier to remember our failures rather than the assignment we succeeded in. I'm afraid this will be one of them..."

Frowning with concern, he placed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "And is it over already?"

Sighing deeply, she placed a little stuffed giraffe in Angela's hands and turned her eyes to him. "I'm not really sure. Tess said that time would be crucial for Sarah to understand the full concept of forgiveness."

"Then I'm sure your words will reach her heart eventually, angel. Sometimes it takes human beings way too long to see the truth that's been right before their eyes."

"Yes... I just hope she doesn't take too long to forgive her brother... I met Adam yesterday... He told me this man doesn't have much time."

Feeling sorry for her, and fearing that things could not end happily for his dearest Monica, Andrew pulled her for a warm and long embrace, glad when she wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head against his chest.

"You know that the Father's plan is always perfect... We have a living proof of this right here with us..." he said, kissing her temple.

She looked up at him, half smiling. "I never doubted it and now, when I think of you and wee Angela, I see the confirmation of this fact..."

The blond angel bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, softly, lightly, like sweet reassurance proper of those we love. His hand was in the back of her head, at the same caressing her auburn locks and applying gentle pressure so that their kiss would last longer. He missed her so deeply, he had missed her soothing presence that would always bring peace and love to his heart. Little Angela had that capacity too, but it was when the trio was together that the world seemed to be perfect.

That sweet kiss turned into smaller ones, all of them equally loving, and when they pulled away, they rested their foreheads together. "I have so much faith in you, baby... And the Father has it too... I know that He wouldn't have chosen you to be Sarah's angel if you weren't perfect for the assignment..." Andrew spoke, gently touching her cheek with his fingertips, as if caressing delicate porcelain.

Monica lay a gentle hand over his and her eyes met his dark green ones, filled with absolute love for her. Amazing how they could read what was in each other's heart so easily; such a powerful connection that sometimes could surprise even themselves. "You have an assignment too, don't you?"

A bittersweet smile broke on his handsome face, he was exactly debating on how telling her that he would leave in just a couple of minutes. "Looks like I gave myself in too easily..."

Also with a slight smile, she inched forward and brushed a warm kiss against his lips. Then she pulled away and tilted her head, gazing at him adorably. "I'm afraid you always do... which isn't something I would qualify as a problem, as right now I can perfectly picture that you are thinking about kissing me again, and for long so that you can keep the memory with you when you leave..."

The mix of adorableness and mischief on her face was such that his smile grew wider. "You caught me again, angel!"

She didn't have time to reply as now he captured her mouth in a long, sudden kiss; sweet and loving, perfect and comforting, meant to last for a life time but which would be gone in a few moments. Andrew gathered her in his arms, cradling her as the sweet caress went on, romantically, for some more precious instants. And then it was gone, turned into a sweet memory that was now stored in their minds for when they missed each other's company.

"I love you..." he said, committing to memory every trace of her meek face, lost in admiration for her beauty.

"I know... I can see it in your eyes... and I can feel it here..." she placed a hand against his heart. "I love you too..."

In a blink of an eye, his clothes had turned to simple blue jeans and green tee shirt to the beige usually suit wore by the angels of death. They looked at little Angela, who was peacefully playing with her little toys. Smiling, he caressed her smooth auburn hair, turning her attention at him. "Have I mentioned that she is as cute as her mom?"

Also smiling, despite the impending separation, Monica tilted her head and gazed at the lovely baby who was now grinning at them - her only two teeth appearing. "Well, I'd say she has her daddy's charm, not to mention those sweet green eyes and cute nose!" she said, kissing his cheek as he gathered Angela in his arms.

"She's as sweet as her mommy, that's what this little angel is!" he spoke, causing Angela to giggle as he gently tickled her tummy. The blond angel said his goodbyes to his beloved daughter and then the hardest time of the day finally arrived.

Monica carried Angela in her arms up to the porch, and Andrew kissed them one more time, and spoke some more loving words to them. Then he left, heading where he was needed in order to perform God's work.

X

The gentle sunrays in the beginning of that summer afternoon gave the flowers and trees extra colour, and the soft breeze that blew across the woods helped to spread their sweet perfume. On the porch of the cozy wooden cabin, lost among the vegetation, a sweet pretty scene took place.

"Fwog..." said the cute and smiling little baby girl, picking up a stuffed little frog and showing it to her mother, who smiled back at her and pointed at the toy.

"Yes, sweetie, it's Mr Frog! And where is his other little friend, huh?"

Monica's Irish lilt filled the air and the spark on her doe-like eyes reflected the joy she kept inside her heart. Little Angela was a constant learner and when those pretty green eyes - inherited from her daddy, gazed up at her with curiosity and excitement she felt so blessed that all the prayers in the world didn't seem enough to express her gratitude.

"Tutle..." the baby replied, picking up the other stuffed toy and making her mother giggle.

"Yes, it's the wee turtle!" she kissed her daughter's rosy cheek, "You're a very smart little angel, you know?"

Angela's permanent smile only broke to give place to a long yawn. In human form, the little angel was like any other human child, and Monica noticed it was time for her afternoon nap. "Oh... what do we have here? I guess Mr Frog's little friends are a bit of sleepy, don't you think so?"

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees and nearby bushes, their leaves being the only noise heard around. Yet, Angela's cute smile disappeared and she frowned with some annoyance, threatening to cry at any moment.

"Hey... what do we have here? A cranky wee one!" she tilted her head gazing at the upset baby, "I wonder where you got this 'crankiness' from, miss!"

The little angel rubbed her eyes and snuggled closer to her mother's chest, visibly searching for a comfortable place for a pleasant doze. Still amused, Monica held wee Angela in her arms. "I know a place where everybody can take a nap and prepare themselves for more great adventures later on!" she whispered, rising to her feet and entering the cabin, leaving a few toys in the porch, over a small carpet.

Monica carried a weeping Angela upstairs to her bedroom; the sweet smell of flowers perfume immediately filling their lungs. "Here we are! Up to our crib we go!"

The Irish angel kissed the baby's rosy cheeks and tried to put her heart at ease whispering soft words before gently placing her in bed. "Sweet dreams, wee Angela... May God bless you always..." she said, caressing the little girl's soft hair once she was finally beaten by exhaustion and fell asleep.

Only then she left the room and climbed down the stairs, wondering if Andrew would ever be back that night or if Tess would show up too. She loved the mountains and that cozy little cabin but it also reminded her of the two angels who were dear to her heart and caused her to miss them even more.

Feeling like having some mocha, Monica headed to the kitchen and as she passed by the living room, a strange sensation took over her heart. The Irish angel felt a chill running down her spine even though it was a warm afternoon. The sudden gust of wind had come from outside and she decided to go and close the entrance door.

And once she did, everything happened very fast: someone came from behind her and placed a piece of cloth embedded with an intoxicating substance over her nose, while firmly grabbing her small shoulders. Monica tried to fight but the effect of the substance was quick and she fell unconscious. Then, the same person climbed up the stairs, and a minute later, little Angela was in the arms of a total strange woman, who carried her outside the house.

To be continued


	46. Searching for Angela

**Angel Of Mine Series**

**Episode 46: Searching for Angela**

Everything seemed to be part of a terrible nightmare, one that she hadn't managed to wake up from. When Monica regained consciousness she found herself lying on the living room floor, with Tess' scared voice insistently calling her name. The worry in the supervisor's eyes soon turned into panic when Monica explained her that someone had broken into the house and placed a cloth embedded with a toxic substance against her nose, causing her to faint with the strong smell.

And their greatest fear was confirmed when the angels climbed up the stairs and rushed to Angela's room: it was empty. This someone had taken their little angel away, and now Tess found herself both grieving and having to hold Monica, fearing she would faint a second time.

Without knowing exactly what to do, the older angel went down the mountains to the nearest police station to report the latest events, taking a miserable Monica with her. The police officers escorted them back to the cabin, where the search for the missing baby started. It was a secluded area and there were no neighbours nearby. Besides, the one who had kidnapped Angela had time to run away while Monica was unconscious.

It was early in the evening that Andrew returned to the cabin, and when he saw the movement outside and Monica crying in Tess' arms, he knew that the strange panic sensation he'd had earlier could be confirmed. Something terrible seemed to have happened there.

"Monica..." he spoke as he entered, and she exchanged the supervisor's arms for his.

"Andrew... Someone took Angela away! Our little angel..." she managed to say, in between sobs and tears.

And at that moment, Andrew experienced the exact amount of pain felt by those who lose a loved one - something that so far he had only witnessed. "Dear Father... Angela..." he whispered, feeling the presence of tears in his eyes, despair taking over his heart.

"Our little one, Andrew... They took her away..."

"H-how... how did this happen?" Andrew tightened the hold around her as Tess and a policeman explained him what happened. He wished that he could turn back time, he wished that he could just go out there and search for Angela and place the little baby back in her mother's arms again. But now, all he could do was to share the pain brought by the sudden separation, and beg God to return Angela to them safely in her human form.

The night fell as a search in the woods went on, away from the cabin and an alert had been transmitted to the nearby towns. It was a long, painful night that left the trio of angels turned into human exhausted. The first sunrays were starting to shine across the horizon when Monica awoke from a twenty-minute sleep. Andrew was holding her tightly, and he too dozed off to a light sleep.

Careful not to wake him up, the Irish angel climbed off the bed and, with slow paces, she headed to Angela's room. Somewhat, she was expecting to enter and find the wee one peacefully sleeping in her crib, and then hold her in her arms. But once she got there, the painful reality stroke: the empty crib and the small toys on a shelf untouched. There was so much of Angela's presence that fresh tears fell from Monica's eyes, and she walked around the room; the first sunrays shining through the window. It was then that something shiny called her attention. The angel knelt down on the floor and saw a small broach in the form of a swan near the crib.

And it was then that her heart started racing: that object didn't belong to her or Tess. And she knew where it had come from. A jeweller in the nearest town! She recalled seeing it in the shop display last Christmas, and even considered giving it to Tess. Monica squeezed the small object in her hand and rushed out of the bedroom.

"Andrew!" her urgent voice woke him up in a second, and his heart was already racing with expectation. "What is it, angel? Any news? Do they know where Angela is?"

"I found something... this..." The Irish angel showed him her new discovery. "It was in Angela's bedroom, Andrew! It's not mine or Tess'! And I know where it came from!"

He ran a trembling hand through his short blond hair. "I'll get the car..."

They rushed down the stairs and saw Tess sleeping in the living room couch, possibly that dearest friend had been beaten up by exhaustion of a sleepless night too, and couldn't resist any longer. They'd better do it alone.

A minute later, the red Cadillac parked in front of the cabin was gone, and Andrew drove it to the town, praying that they could find some information about the owner of that broach.

X

The half-hour journey to the nearest town, by the feet of the mountains, lasted an eternity for both Monica and Andrew. They finally found the jeweller that she had spoken - it wasn't open yet but the owner was already inside. Due to their insistent knocking at the shop display, the woman opened the door for them. She immediately recognised Monica.

"You were here last Christmas... You were very indecisive about choosing a present for your friend..." the old lady mentioned, glad to see the friendly Irish lady again.

"Yes... you are perfectly correct... And now I'm here to ask you a favour... something that means a lot to both my husband and me..." she said, looking briefly at Andrew, who nodded his head.

"Oh, yes, of course. What is it, dear?" She wanted to know, only now noticing the tension on their faces.

The Irish angel showed her the broach she'd found just by Angela's crib. "This jewel... I know it came from your store... I need you to tell me who bought it..."

The woman placed her glasses and took a closer look at the broach. "Yes... it was bought here, for sure, but I'm afraid I cannot give you the names of the clients..."

"We know that, madam, but it's very important!" the angel of death spoke, "Our baby daughter was kidnapped yesterday afternoon..."

"Oh, goodness gracious! How terrible!" she exclaimed, immediately feeling sorry for the couple.

"The person who took her away... she left this behind..." Monica explained, "And the information we're asking you may be the key to find her..."

There was no way she could deny what the angels were asking her. On Monica's face, there was a mother's plea and the genuine truth. "Hold on..."

Minutes later, they left the store with a valuable paper in their hands: the name and address of the woman who owned that broach. It wasn't far from there, and Andrew had to control himself not to break the speed limit in those calm streets. But the search wasn't at the end - not yet. When they arrived at the right address the house seemed empty, and this suspect was soon confirmed. Windows and doors locked, and no sign that there was human presence in it.

"She... she might have ran away with Angela..." Monica spoke, leaning against the door and on the verge of despair.

The angel of death sighed deeply, and placed both hands over her shoulders, pulling her for a warm embrace. He was grieving and know that his beloved angel was feeling exactly the same. Andrew pressed her head against his chest as she wept softly, exhaustion draining their last energies.

"We'll find her, angel..." the blond angel spoke, kissing the top of her head, never releasing her from his strong arms.

"She might be hungry, Andrew... What if she feels cold? What... what if she misses her little toys..." her crying voice broke his heart, and he had to fight hard his own tears.

"This person, as terrible as she can be, took Angela for a reason, Monica..."

She pulled away and looked up at him, her crying face red and wet with tears. "What reason?"

"I don't know, but I do know that if she intended to take her, she might have been prepared to take care of her." He explained, trying to put her heart at ease even if his own wasn't. "The house is empty, and..." a sudden thought crossed his mind. "The bus station! She's running away!" He grabbed Monica's hand and pulled her back to their car.

"I see what you mean... Do you think there's still time?" she wanted to know, as they rushed back to the Cadillac.

"The chief of police said that they alerted the bus stations of the nearby cities... If she tries to pass, they'll catch her..."

x

Edina Saunders took the seat number 8 of the bus that headed to Salt Lake City, where finding her and the baby she carried in her arms would be a very hard assignment. As a matter of fact, suspecting that she had kidnapped a baby from a cabin in the top of the mountains would be difficult too. She had all the documents in her purse to prove the opposite.

"Excuse me, but I have to tell you that your baby is just beautiful!" A woman sitting next to her spoke, as the bus driver turned the motor on and closed the vehicle's door.

Edina smiled, as she carefully placed little Angela on her lap. The little girl's usual smile had gone away, and she was frowning at the new company and her surroundings. "Thanks! Little Kathy here has a lot in common with her father!" she said, kissing the baby's cheek affectionately.

The lady took the baby's tiny hand. "Hello, Kathy! You're a very cute young lady, did you know that?"

Something similar to a smile appeared on Angela's face, but as she heard Edina's voice again, it was gone, and she rubbed her chubby little hands together. "He's waiting for us in Salt Lake, Thomas works there as a manager of a small restaurant."

"Oh, I see! It's very nice to know that such a beautiful family will be together again!"

The bus left the terminal 20 minutes before Monica and Andrew arrived there. The couple rushed towards the information counter.

"Please, sir, we need to know if Edina Saunders is on the next bus to Salt Lake City!" Andrew spoke to the attendant.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we cannot give you this kind of information..." the young man replied, even though he didn't miss the urgency in the tone of his voice.

"It's very important... This woman kidnapped our daughter!" Monica was quick to say, permanent tears falling from her eyes. "Please, help us!"

"Your daughter..." the attendant seemed surprised and sympathetic to their words. Besides, he had been informed about a baby girl being kidnapped. "There's an alert about a woman carrying a baby..."

"Did you see anything? Is she on that bus?"

The young man sighed deeply, concern evident in his own eyes. "There was a woman carrying a baby, and..." he searched the files over the desk. "Yes, her name was Edina Saunders."

"Where is she?" Andrew wanted to know, sensing how Monica flinched hearing that.

"She got on the 9 o'clock bus to Salt Lake City."

"What? How come you guys let her go like that?" Andrew's loud voice was inevitable, as he too was extremely nervous.

"She was carrying a baby and the baby's birth certificate, sir. We checked all the documents and they were ok! The little girl's name was Kathleen Saunders, her daughter..."

"Our little Angela..." Monica whispered, wandering away from the counter, feeling lost and defeated. Andrew ran a hand through his hair before going over to her and holding her tightly once again.

"Calm down, angel... shh... Calm down..."

"Our wee one, Andrew... This woman wants to steal Angela from us..." she managed to speak, sobbing and clutching his shirt desperately. "We might not see her again..."

"Don't say that, of course we we'll see our little angel... Shh..." Andrew held her for dear life and lifted a silent prayer begging God to make his words become true.

X

To be continued


	47. The lesson

_This episode is a sequel to "Learning to forgive" (episode 45) and "Searching for Angela" (episode 46). These two episodes, along with this one, portray Angela's kidnapping and the subsequent search for the baby and her kidnapper. Reading these is important before reading this one. _

_PS. Kim, Gaby, Crazy Hyper Lady, Angelgirl online, Credentials and Lucy of Jag, and those who read this story: sorry to make you guys suffer with this little trilogy (blushes) and thank you very much for your thoughts and feedback. I hope this episode makes things up with you... (winks)  
_

**Angel of mine series**

**Episode 47: The lesson**

The trip to Salt Lake City would last two hours and it was usually a non-stop one. However, there was another terminal along the road and the passengers were slightly surprised to see that the driver started to slow down. The explanation was a minor mechanical problem, which would be solved soon. The only one who looked pretty worried about that piece of news was Edina. The kidnapper held little Angela in her arms and let out an impatient sigh.

"I wonder if this is going to take too long..." she said, as the baby girl in her arms threatened to start crying at any moment. The woman had changed her clothes and fed her before their trip started, and now she was wearing what had probably belonged to another baby who wore equal size: a pink jacket over a white blouse, pink sweatpants and white socks matching equally white shoes. Over her little head, a colourful woollen bonnet to protect from the cold morning air and also to disguise her.

"I don't think so. Perhaps they will just make some adjustments and it's good to stop, this way we can eat something, right little one?" the lady sitting next to her said, taking the baby's tiny hand.

Edina looked through the window as the bus finally stopped and her eyes scanned the area carefully, seeking for the presence of the police there. But apart from those who worked at the bus station and the passengers themselves, there wasn't any danger to her and "her daughter."

"Would you and little Kathy here mind to share the table with me and maybe have a sandwich and something to drink?" her bus companion offered, with a friendly expression on her face.

Edina tried to smile: she couldn't raise any suspects, otherwise someone might take her little daughter away from her again. "Yes... Sure, we'd love to, right little one?" while the baby pouted and rubbed her tiny hands nervously, she looked back at the woman, "I need to go the toilet, but I'll meet you at the bar."

"Oh, that's alright... would you like some help with the baby?" she offered, genuinely worried as a grandmother of three children would be.

"Oh, thanks, but that won't be necessary, I'll be fast..." Edina spoke, and moved away towards the ladies' toilet. But instead of entering the room, she started to walk away from the bus station and from the small café that was next to it. Nobody seemed to notice as the woman carrying the small child in her arms finally crossed the street and turned around the corner.

Edina had to disappear; there were people who wanted to take her child away from her a second time. She didn't believe it when the nurse at the city hospital said that her baby daughter had died with pneumonia a month earlier. That couldn't be possible as she had always been a good mother to little Kathy. What did those people at the hospital know? Why did they take her baby away from her like that?

But a walk in the woods to see the lake that Kathy liked so much revealed that very close to it there was a cabin and that her baby daughter was in fact living there. She had to take her back and move to a place where nobody knew them. She would raise Kathy and they would form a beautiful family all over again.

She was crossing a short bridge over a canal that intersected the main street of the small town she was in. Edina had to look for an inn to spend the night and maybe move to another small town on the following day. This way it would be much more difficult to find them. Angela's crying interrupted her reverie and she caressed her pink cheek. "Shh, little Kathy, it's okay. Mommy is going to take care of you soon, honey... shh... don't cry..."

"You're not her mother." A sudden voice, which held much sadness and despair, reached her ears. She looked ahead again and saw the young lady who she had to dope in order to take little Angela away from the cabin up in the mountains.

"No... Not you... You're not taking Kathy away from me again!" she said, pressing the crying baby against her chest.

"Angela is not your baby! You broke into a house and stole her away from me!" Monica insisted, walking towards her with slow steps.

"I didn't! She's mine! She's always been..."

"Your baby daughter sadly died a month ago, victim of pneumonia. You kidnapped Angela to replace what you've lost. And now you're trying to run away using the documents that belonged to your daughter so that no one knows what you did!" the angel said, and stopped walking, afraid to come any closer, but at the same time yearning to hold the little one again - Angela's chubby little arms were raised and begging for her mommy's ones, and this fact alone broke Monica's heart one more time.

"You're lying!" Edina's voice was now an angry one, and she looked at the running water of the canal right bellow them.

"I do not lie, Edina Saunders. And you know well the pain inside a mother's heart when she is torn apart from her child. Don't help to spread this pain... don't make the wee child that you keep in your arms suffer as much as her mother is suffering right now..." tears fell from Monica's sad eyes, and the anguish for Angela's safety was tearing at her soul.

"I am suffering! Don't you see?!" came another angry reply, and Monica dared to give some more steps.

"Stop! Stay where you are!" she warned, and came closer to the bridge rail. "I won't let anyone ruin my life for the second time!"

"This wee baby doesn't deserve to be a victim of your selfishness..." the Irish angel insisted, sensing she had to do something before the woman hurt the precious child.

Edina turned to look at the canal bellow the bridge and in that brief second, Monica gave two steps and grabbed Angela from her arms - the woman still tried to get her back and was ready to attack the angel when another voice came from behind her.

"Stop, you're under arrest, Ms Saunders!"

Two policemen were approaching her from behind, while Monica got the woman's attention. They caught her by the arms and finally handcuffed her. Andrew came right behind them and knelt down on the ground, where Monica cried incessantly, holding an equally crying and very scared Angela against her chest. With tears in his own eyes, he held them both in his large embrace, wishing nothing more than protect the two most precious gifts he'd been granted with.

"Father... thank You... thank You for one more blessing..." the angel of death whispered, kissing the top of Monica's head at the same time he caressed Angela's soft hair, wishing he could make them both stop crying.

"Our daughter... our baby, Andrew..." the Irish angel spoke, in between sobs.

"She's safe now, angel. She's in your arms, where she belongs..." he managed to speak, voice hoarse with emotion.

Monica pulled away just a few inches and caressed her crying daughter's face. "Shh... it's alright now, wee one... your mommy and daddy are here..."

When Andrew looked around them again, Edina Saunders had already been taken to the police car and was no longer in view. He helped Monica to her feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and gently led her back to the terminal, where a red Cadillac was parked and an anxious angel waited for them.

"Oh, Father, thank You!" Tess' conjoined her hands and looked up to the sky when she saw the three angels coming towards her. A few seconds later, they were all together again, in a warm embrace.

"I prayed so much for this little angel girl..." she said, cupping Angela's cheeks with both hands and kissing her forehead. The little one slowly calmed down, as now she knew she was with her family again.

"He was watching over her all the time... we all know that..." the blond angel spoke, taking Angela's tiny hand and kissing it. Only then Monica realised something and even felt guilty about it. She turned to Andrew and moved to place the little baby in his arms. "She's yours too and I know how much you want to hold her... I'm sorry..."

He shook his head, meaning that she didn't have to apologise for anything. Then, Andrew leaned forward and kissed her lips softly, briefly, before taking Angela in his own strong arms. When their equally dark green eyes met and the little one smiled slightly at him, he felt like she had just been born again. His heart was flooded with emotion and so much love he could never find the words to express his gratitude nor to describe what he was feeling. He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, holding back the tears as she reached out a chubby little hand and touched his chin.

"Daddy missed you too, sweetie..."

Monica and Tess exchanged a moved look and the supervisor held her dearest friend tightly, like a mother reassuring her daughter that everything would be alright now. Exactly like Monica had done moments before.

X

A week later...

Sarah walked along the garden of her house, watching the flowers she had planted there a while ago, and observing how beautifully they were blooming. The woman was surprised with the fact that despite she had managed to grow the garden she had always wanted, there seemed to be something missing. She stood there for some time, thinking about the latest events in her life: her long time gone brother Alan coming back and asking for forgiveness, and the subsequent visit of an angel.

And it was then that a soft voice reached her ears, and even though it was a surprise she knew who it was from the start.

"Impressive how so much beauty can appear where there was only ice and stones before..."

Sarah turned around and saw Monica with a long white dress and glowing beautifully. There was a serene expression on the angel's face, and perhaps just a small hint of sadness deep buried inside her loving heart.

"I didn't expect you'd come back to me... Not after I refused to forgive Alan..."

"A long time ago I was taught that the first step towards forgiveness is that everyone deserves a second chance, a new beginning." She replied, with a gentle smile.

"I've been thinking about everything that's happened, since from the day Alan abandoned our mother and me and disappeared in this world, trying to find his own way... searching for a dream that even he didn't know exactly what it was." She sighed and lowered her head briefly before looking at Monica again. "It's not easy... not after all he's done, you know Monica."

The Irish angel gave a step forward and placed a gentle hand over her shoulder. "You are perfectly right, Sarah, it is not easy to forgive. But know that forgiveness is more about yourself than the other person. Your brother Alan made a terrible mistake and this mistake brought you much pain and suffering, which you keep inside your heart until this day. Forgiving him means letting go of these terrible feelings. It means replacing them by peace and compassion so that you can move on with your life free of so much bitterness and anger."

Sarah heard those words in silence; a lonely tear fell from her eye as the angel kept on speaking. "Despite your brother's moving away from your life, which now he truly regrets, you were strong and led a decent life. And now... now you have a pretty house, a loving husband and a beautiful wee daughter, and they love you so much, Sarah... And they deserve all the love that you can give them. Only love, as there's nothing more comforting than looking back and realising that you loved, instead of hated; that you showed compassion instead of revenge."

More tears filled the woman's eyes and they soon rolled down her face. "I saw my brother the other day in the park, but he didn't see me. I... looked at him for a long time wondering why I should forgive him, and now... listening to your words... Only now I realise what was inside my heart... all the sadness that I grew for all those years... I realised that when he appeared I didn't even give him a chance to speak..."

"You can give him this chance now..." Monica said, and they both heard the door bell ring in the front yard: it was her assignment's brother. "... and you'll be giving yourself a chance too." She concluded.

Sarah nodded her head with gratitude written in her eyes. "Thank you, Monica."

"Don't thank me," she said back, now with a broad smile, all the joy to finally have accomplished that assignment evident in her brown eyes, "I'm just a messenger."

The woman walked down the garden and reached the front yard, where she and her brother finally could look at each other's eyes. There was an awkward silence at first, but it was soon broken by Sarah's voice calling her brother's name; she opened the gate for him and for the first time in years, the siblings finally held each other.

Moved with emotion, Monica watched them for a couple of minutes, already invisible to humans. But once Sarah invited Alan to come inside her house, the Irish angel's image slowly faded away from the garden. Monica took the liberty to pick one of the many beautiful flowers planted there and then reappeared in a place located miles away. The smile that was on her face was gone even though her expression kept serene.

Still invisible to the human eye, she walked along the corridors of what seemed to be a hospital. The white walls reflected the coldness of the place and few people passed by. She stopped in front of a door and on the following second, she was inside the room. Edina Saunders was now lying in bed, wearing a white uniform and staring at an invisible point on the wall.

Monica approached her and knelt by her bed, and her glow was so intense that the woman finally moved her eyes to look at her: the angel was visible once again.

"You're... the lady who took Kathy from me..." she said, but without much reaction perhaps due to the medication administered on her earlier that day.

"No... the baby girl you took wasn't Kathy."

"But she could have been... she could have replaced Kathy... And you took her away!"

"Angela was mine."

"But I wanted her for me! And I could have if you hadn't appeared!"

"No... it would've been wrong, and one day, Edina Saunders, you'll understand that. One day, you'll find peace and realise that despite the loss of your baby daughter, you have to move on with your life too."

"Who are you after all?"

"I'm an angel..." she said, looking at the woman who tried to steal her wee Angela from her in the eyes. There was not anger or revenge in them, but it wasn't easy to stand there after all that had happened.

"An angel?" the woman's eyes fell for a brief second, as she was trying to process that piece of information. "You came here to punish me for what I did? Please, don't... I'm sorry... I... All I wanted was my daughter..."

"Oh, no! No, I'm not here to punish you!" she replied, genuinely feeling sorry for the woman. "I'm an angel, but I'm not perfect, Edina. I confess was angry at you for what you did. But now... Now I'm here standing before you to tell you that... that all I want is your recovering from your loss, and the terrible impact it has caused you."

"Have you seen my daughter? Have you seen Kathy?"

"No. But I've seen your future, and it's not going to be here." She placed the flower she was holding in Edina's hands. "I forgive you, and I'll pray for you, Edina Saunders. And know that your loving Father is watching over you and your baby daughter, who is now in His presence."

The slight smile on the woman's face was enough to make Monica's heart rejoice. It was because of Edina that she had found the right words to speak to her assignment. It was because of her that she herself could put into practice the meaning of forgiveness.

X

When the Irish angel returned to the cabin at the end of the day there was laughter coming from the living room. With a smile on her face, she tilted her head and watched from a distance, still in her angelic form, as Andrew entertained a very cheerful and smiling little Angela. They were sitting on the carpeted floor, in front of a warm fireplace lit up a while ago, when the night started to fall.

"Fwog, daddy... an' 'tepillar..." she tried to speak, which only amused Andrew even more. Monica could see the spark of joy in his green eyes, and it also brought her great happiness. Much had been said about her being the perfect angel to be assigned to experience motherhood, but if there was one angel who had certainly been created to perform the father role, this angel was her beloved Andrew. The amazing way he had with children and his gentle and protective nature, which she knew so well, were even more evident when he was interacting with the little ones - with that little one in special.

It didn't take more than a few instants for them to realise someone they loved very much was quietly observing them by the kitchen door.

"Mummy!" Angela spoke, immediately moving her tiny arms, and making Monica smile even more.

"Oh! Hullo, sweetheart!"

"Hey, look who's here! Your mommy arrived just in time to see the little surprise you have for her!" Andrew whispered in the little girl's ear, and then looked at Monica. "Stay where you are, angel... Someone here wants to give you something, and especially to _show_ you something!" he said, before she walked over up to them.

Monica looked surprised, but highly amused. "Ah, a surprise, huh? Alright, let's see what this wee one has in mind for me!" she knelt on the floor and watched as Andrew deposited a small daisy in Angela's hand. "Here we go! Give it to your mommy!"

With his help, the little angel was placed on her feet, and before Monica's surprised eyes, Andrew slowly let go of Angela's small body and the baby girl stood on her feet without losing her balance and gave one tiny step towards her mom.

"Andrew..." the Irish angel whispered, with her eyes full of amazement and emotion.

"Call her!" he said, enjoying both the fact that his beloved Angela was giving her first steps, and also Monica's joy and surprise at that piece of news.

Moved with emotion, she opened her arms to the little girl. "Hey, my little angel... Come to me! Come here to mommy!"

Angela smiled broadly at her. "Mommy..."

"Come here, honey..."

A second later, the little one gave one more step towards her mom; and then another, and another...

"She's walking!" Monica said, with emotion in her eyes.

Equally excited, Andrew nodded his head enthusiastically, "I found that out this afternoon... Go on, keep calling her!"

"Come here with mommy, my little angel!"

Walking clumsily and threatening to lose her balance at any moment, Angela finally shortened the distance between them and threw herself into Monica's arms.

"Oh, wee Angela! You walked! You walked!" she said, kissing the baby's cheeks repeatedly.

Highly amused, Angela raised the chubby arm and showed her the white daisy she was carrying. "Fower..."

Monica and Andrew looked at each other: their little one would definitely melt the hardest of the hearts, and theirs as well. "A flower to me? Why, thank you, sweetheart!" she said, accepting the flower and kissing her tiny hand. Andrew joined them and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Just as adorable as her mother!" he said, kissing Monica's cheek.

She turned to him and looked deep inside his green eyes, with a spark of gratitude and always with much love. "I beg to differ! Her daddy is as much enchanting and he makes my heart skip a beat exactly like she does!"

He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb against her delicate white skin. "I can see there's much joy in those pretty eyes of yours, and although a great part of it comes from our little angel's walk, there's something else in there..." he said, placing a strand of hair behind her ear. "... perhaps a successful assignment?"

Monica leaned on his touch, treasuring every second of that blessed evening. "Probably more than that, you know, Andrew. Probably the joy to know that true love, forgiveness and peace walk together, and that they now fill my heart, and some humans' hearts as well... human beings that crossed my way in the last few days..." She caressed her daughter's soft hair for a moment and then looked back at him, "Sadness, fear and perhaps anger remain in the past now... they were all replaced by joy..."

Smiling, and happy to see the contentment in his beloved angel's face, he crossed the small distance between them and pressed his lips onto hers. It was a soft kiss, a reminder of how much he needed her by his side for the rest of his existence. But it then turned into a more loving caress, as they were both aware of how much they had missed each other during the last few troubled days. Andrew moved his hand to the back of her head, entangling his fingers through her hair and applying gentle pressure so that their kiss would last longer, as he knew he would never get enough of that sweet caress.

But it ended with the sudden baby giggle that reached their ears. Even before their lips parted, they started smiling. "We seem to have an audience..." he said, resting his forehead against hers, both laughing at the expression of curiosity on Angela's face.

"Yes, and I guess we might be entertaining this wee one!" Monica spoke, as he traced a line along her cheekbone and then started to deliver soft tiny pecks against her lips, "kissing her smile," which he loved so much.

She remained in silence for a few instants, both enjoying his tenderness and also reflecting about the latest events. "So much beauty came out of our meeting, a long time ago..." she finally said, as he looked inside her brown pools.

"It always happens when there's love involved." He pointed at his own heart, "And this angel's heart here... it holds so much love for you and for this little one that it could never be put into words..." he said, caressing her cheek.

Monica nodded in agreement, with the pensive expression that would always amuse him. "You're right... I've tried sometimes, you know... I mean, putting into words what I feel for you..." she let out a small sigh. "... but I guess I've failed..."

Chuckling, he brushed one more soft kiss against her lips. "You certainly haven't, my angel..."

He captured her smile with his lips once again while little Angela joined her tiny hands together, as if she was trying to clap her parents' romantic kiss.

X

Night feel silently in the cabin, and for the first time in many days the angels' hearts were filled with nothing but inner peace. Little Angela was finally back in their arms and now she was sleeping peacefully between her mommy and daddy, in their bed. Besides this, a woman at last forgave her long gone brother and they would spend the rest of his days by each other's side. And in the future, a childless mother would recover from her loss and help other mothers who had to face such tragedy.

With her elbow propped on the bed and holding her chin with her right hand, Monica watched as both Andrew and Angela slept serene right next to her. The beside lamp was the only source of light in the room and it allowed her to contemplate the ones she loved so dearly. The Irish angel had a permanent smile on her face and knew that she would never get enough of that image.

"Oh, wee Angela... as the days pass by I'm more and more certain that you came to this world to spread joy and love, my wee angel..." she whispered, gently caressing her daughter's soft auburn hair, so similar to hers, and then brushing a soft kiss on the little one's rosy cheek.

Then she turned to look at her beloved Andrew, and her smile grew wider: she was always happy to detect the smallest resemblance in Angela's and Andrew's traits, just like now. Their asleep faces were so similar and brought so much peace to her own heart! Besides, she was sure that Angela's tiny nose had an equal shape to her daddy's, even though Andrew always chuckled at that comparison.

Slowly, she reached out and stroked his short blond hair. "You mean the world to me... my whole existence, you know..." Just like she had done with Angela, and careful not to wake them up, she inched closer to him and kissed his handsome face.

It was then that she saw his lips curve into a slight smile, even though his eyes remained closed. "You can keep doing this... I'll appreciate it..." Andrew whispered, aware of her surprised face.

"I... I didn't mean to wake you up..." she said, blushing slightly as he opened his eyes.

Andrew captured her hand and kissed her palm, chuckling at her embarrassment at the same time he found it adorable. "You can wake me up like that anytime you want..." he said, still holding her hand in his. The blond angel moved slowly and crossed the distance between them and brushed his lips against hers.

Once that sweet kiss was over, they both lay down with their heads over their pillow, and looked down at their little one, fast asleep and safely tucked between them. Monica and Andrew looked at each other again, now both with a sleepy smile across their faces.

"I love you, Andrew..."

"I love you too, angel... Have a good night and only sweet dreams..."

"I know I will..."

x

To be continued


	48. With you

**Angel of mine series **

**Episode 48: With you**

Snow was starting to fall when a red Cadillac was parked in front of the pretty cabin hidden up in the mountains of Utah. The ever green of the pine tree tops were slowly turning into white as the snowflakes came to rest upon them, and a white blanket covered the area around the secluded property. Temperature was dropping quickly and the latest forecast announced a storm for the evening. Monica got off the vehicle carrying a heavy supermarket package and climbed up the porch steps in a hurry. She was wearing heavy winter clothes but it was far too cold outside and she couldn't wait to be in front of a warm fireplace.

The Irish angel pushed the door open and surveyed the living room. It had been previously tidied up and she could feel a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Grinning, she crossed the living room in a hurry and got at the kitchen. The red-brick chimney and the oven had just been used, and lunch had already been prepared. But the smile died in her lips as Monica realised there was no one in there.

Slowly now, as there was no need to rush, she placed the supermarket bag on the counter and let out a small sigh. Andrew had probably been there earlier and, always aware of her culinary abilities, had cooked lunch for her as they would not stay too long. She was expecting to at least spend the afternoon and evening with him, as both of them had been very busy with hard assignments all over the world.

How she missed the small family that the Father had so kindly blessed her with! She had a loving soulmate who had the ability to say "I love you" just by the way he gazed at her. She had also been blessed with a cute little angel, who could touch everyone's heart just with her cheerful smile and pretty face. And finally, there was someone who was a mother figure to Monica, the one friend who taught her valuable lessons of wisdom.

But right now, wee Angela was with Tess and the two angels were exactly where they belonged to, where all the angels would go once they had finished their assignments on Earth. And Andrew... well, he could be anywhere now, and judging by the smell of the food, she had missed him for just a few minutes.

However, when Monica returned to the living room, to drop her coat and scarf by the entrance door, she spotted a silver box right over the coffee table. It wasn't too big but it was beautifully wrapped with a matching silver satin ribbon, and a small card was hanging on its top. Now frowning and rather intrigued, Monica approached the table with slow steps, still wondering what kind of mystery could involve the small object. She flipped the white card and saw that it was her name written on it.

"I guess I saw a very beautiful angel crossing this living room in a hurry towards the kitchen!" a sudden male voice came from behind her and spoke into her ear. Pleasantly startled, and with the broad smile immediately back at her face, Monica turned around to face a mischievous-looking Andrew. "And she didn't even notice this little box waiting for her!" he added, a second before she spoke his name - her Irish lilt filling the living room.

"Andrew!"

A pair of arms were instantly wrapped around his neck and dragging him down for a warm hug, which he returned with the same intensity. "I thought I wouldn't have a chance to see you..." she spoke, in a mix of relief and joy.

"I thought I wouldn't be here either, but something unexpected happened." Andrew tightened the hold around her and buried his face against her shoulder, breathing in her sweet perfume and kissing the nape of her neck. He could feel her heart beating against his chest and her trembling hands clutching his sweater. Nothing could have been more perfect.

"Something unexpected? What is it, Andrew?" she wanted to know, without the courage to pull away from his arms.

He kissed the side of her head and brought his face inches apart from hers, admiring her delicate features as he talked. "I was supposed to take a little boy Home, but plans have changed." The angel of death announced, watching as his happiness brought joy to her soul. "Jonathan will live, angel."

"I'm so happy to hear that... Happy for you as I have an idea of how you could be feeling..." she spoke, her face softened a little.

Andrew touched the tip of her nose with his index finger. "I know you are... And I also know that you too have finished a successful assignment!"

"I did!" her instant joy and the childlike way she had said that only made his heart ache with so much love. Her smile faded a bit on the following instant and she tilted her head sheepishly. "But mine was a more simple one, you know."

"It's worth praising just as any other!" he gently lay both hands on each side of her face and his eyes turned away from hers to aim at her rosy lips. "And when I came here I had three 'assignments' to fulfil..."

"Three assignments?" she repeated, shooting him a questioning look.

"Yes... One of them, is this..."

He brought his lips to hers in a long, soulful kiss typical of those couples who hadn't seen each other for a long time, and Monica gladly welcomed this kiss with the same intensity, with the same love. Andrew wrapped on arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him, and entangled his fingers through her auburn hair, applying gentle pressure to the back of her head so that he could deepen their kiss.

Once that loving caress was over, he held her tightly once again. "I love this assignment, you know..." she rested her head over his shoulder and sighed with contentment.

"Good, because there are two others I have to accomplish, and one of them is directly connected to this small box you've just found out here..."

Monica pulled away and searched for his green pools, not missing a hint of mischief in them. "Is it a present?"

Andrew blinked at her with amusement. "Yes, sort of... it's actually your anniversary present! And your name is in there, so open it up!"

Confusion clouded over hear face and she frowned slightly. "Anniversary? But... do we celebrate anniversaries? I-I don't recall anything happening on today's date..."

"Who said anniversaries have to be celebrated on an specific date?" he replied, in a charming way. Monica let out a sigh and agreed on playing his little game. She knew it would amuse him, and that's why she gladly did it. The little angel finally let go of his embrace and turned her back on him, picking up the small box with her both hands. She shook it first and placed her ear next to it in an attempt to listen to any different sound, causing Andrew to chuckle with amusement. She focused on unwrapping the satin ribbons that involved the box and once she was over, Monica was surprised at its content.

"Bikinis?" she said, raising the two-piece purple swimming suit with her hands and turning to face him again. "They... they are... lovely, Andrew, but... I guess it's a wee bit cold right now..."

Still chuckling, the blond angel kissed her forehead. "It's not for you to wear right now, angel..." But he made a short pause to scan her body from top down with interested eyes, "... even though seeing you wearing your swimming suit always pleased me a lot..."

She smiled at him, blushing a little at his remark and still confused. "Andrew... I'm not sure if I understand..."

"Come with me..." He took her by the hand and guided her upstairs.

They headed to their bedroom, and when he opened up the door she was surprised for the second time. Over their bed, there were two small suitcases.

"What is it?"

"We're off for a few days, Monica. Tess is watching over our little angel, and I've just heard that there are at least seven angels drooling little Angela. Besides this, Jonathan is having a fine recovery and his life is not at risk anymore. And you told me you'll have some free days as soon as your latest assignment was over." He quickly explained, and before she could say something, Andrew lay both hands gently over her shoulders. The initial mischief was now gone from his face, and replaced by a sincere and loving smile. "Just you and me."

The look in his eyes and the certainty of a tomorrow by his side were everything of the most urgent in her existence. Monica let out a sigh, and tilted her head to gaze up at him with a matching slight smile. "You and me together is what brings so much love to my world..."

The blond angel tenderly cupped her cheek, the power of his dark green eyes penetrating her very soul and reading what was in her heart. Stating that he loved her deeply would never be able to express what he felt for her and how much he needed her by his side. Andrew crossed the small distance between them and slowly their eyes closed. Monica felt his warm breath tickling her skin, a second before their lips finally met in another loving kiss.

Only when air became an issue, they broke their kiss and rested foreheads together. "So I take it you agree to wear your anniversary present?" Andrew's smile was back upon his handsome face and he enjoyed to see that she too was smiling - he could live only to make her smile like that.

X

One day later...

The warm sunrays shone across the bluest of the skies and the equally deep blue ocean. The waves came to crash gently upon a small island lost in the middle of nowhere, kissing its white sands along with the gentle breeze that was blowing from the sea. To get there, Andrew had to row a small boat for nearly an hour while Monica just rested comfortably and enjoyed the journey to the small piece of heaven lost amongst a blue immensity. She was wearing the two-piece black swimming suit that Andrew had bought her a couple of days before and an unbuttoned white blouse and he, only his black trunks. Both needed very little right now. The most important was being with each other, and being with each other is how they would remain for the rest of their existence.

Right after they arrived at their destination, he tied the boat to a small dock and Monica took the time to lie over a towel and enjoy the sunbathing time. It was so good to be away from all that cold and the incessant snow! That breathtaking scenario renewed their spirits and filled her heart with a sensation of peace.

And later on, Andrew reached out to take her hand and gently guided her up to where the waves broke. With his firm grip around her, she allowed him to take her further in the water, and little by little grew used to the swing of the waves as they passed by her small body.

X

A veil of stars covered the night sky, their ancient spark enchanting humans upon Earth - humans who gazed at them and marvelled, unaware of the fact that they were gazing at a distant past. A fireplace had been lit up a couple of hours before, and along with the full moon, it illuminated the island with its intense sparkling.

"...maybe the reason why it fascinates us so much is because unconsciously we know it comes from a better time and place, untouched by evil."

Andrew's words, along with the crashing of the waves upon the soft sand, were the only sounds that could be heard in that secluded place. There was food and a small tent pitched right close to the fire - but the shelter wasn't being used at the moment. He and Monica were now lying on a white towel, spread upon the sand and away enough so that the water didn't reach them. She had changed into a loose sleeveless dress, which went down bellow her knees, while Andrew was wearing bermudas and a white T-shirt. Although it had been a hot sunny day, temperature usually went down a little as the night fell. All in all, it still was a warm night and the couple of angels spent some pleasant time gazing at the stars and chatting unworried about the world out there.

"But then we marvel at an illusion, as this same light no longer exists; it's just a memory of something lost in the dust of time..." Monica replied, comfortably lying next to him, resting her head over his arm, very close to his shoulder. She too was facing the night sky after a day filled with laughter and happy memories.

Together, they had swam in the blue ocean, walked hand in hand along the shore of a deserted island and shared some romance time in each other's arms. In short, Andrew had found a way to bring joy into their existence and nothing could please him more other than the broad smile upon his beloved Monica's face or hearing her laughter.

"Well, that would explain why humans always want what they can't have - or what they don't have." He said, and propped his weight on his elbow as now he changed the vision of the starry sky for her beautiful face.

"I'd say this is part of their nature." She replied, eyeing him with a slight smile, happy to be in his strong arms. "But yet, that's why we exist, so that we make them realise which things are truly the most important in life!"

"You are such a wise little angel!" He tenderly caressed her cheek, committing to memory her every meek feature, enjoying to see the spark of joy in her eyes.

"Oh, but there are two wonderful angels, who I'm very fond of, who teach me many valuable lessons, you know?" she spoke, resting both hands over her stomach as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Andrew moved his hand to her waist as he spoke again. "Well... talking about the most important in life... I'd say that there are these wonderful angels who are all of the most precious I have in my existence..."

She searched in his eyes and saw nothing but the truth and deep love. These had always been there - since from the beginning when they were just friends. There had been immense love and honesty in the way Andrew looked at her.

The slight smile upon her face was slowly replaced by a moved expression and she raised her hand to touch his face. "Do you have any idea of what I feel for you?"

"I do. I can see it in your eyes. And in your soul..." he bent his head to brush his lips with hers in a soft but brief kiss. "I made myself a promise a while ago, when you were in hospital, sweetie. You got hurt in an explosion while you were on assignment, in that school, remember?"

"What promise?" she wanted to know, the memory of the assignment in which she almost sacrificed her human form to save the children of a kindergarten immediately on her mind. It had happened a while after they admitted their mutual feelings for each other. Andrew spent ten painful days by her bed, praying for her to get out of the coma and open his eyes for him again.

"That other than doing the Father's work, I'd exist to put a smile upon your face and make you happy. That I'd exist for you, Monica."

Those words brought tears of emotion to her eyes. "Andrew..."

"And what makes it even more blessed is the fact that, by that time, I had no idea of how much the Father would give me... of how much you would give me, pretty angel... Our love... and materialised in the form of a cute smiling little angel... Just as pretty as you are."

"But then it's me the one who should be grateful... Grateful for the gift of your love..." she said, tears falling from her eyes as she spoke, "Which I can see reflected in Angela's bright green pools!" Tears finally made their way down her rosy cheeks and she let out a small sob. "I love you so much..." her whispered words caused him to smile - a loving smile as they filled his hear with tenderness.

Slowly, he bent his head again and kissed her forehead. Andrew went on kissing her cheeks, wiping her tears away with his lips, savouring the feeling of having the one he loved so much right there in his arms; aware that her heart, body and soul belonged to him. He made a trail of kisses down her jaw up until her neck, breathing in her sweet perfume. Monica entangled her fingers through his short blond hair as he proceeded in delivering soft kisses along her skin until he found her lips again. The kiss that followed was long and filled with deep, unconditional love.

In each other's arms, they completely forgot about everything else around them, lost in delicate caresses. Andrew's touch was gentle and soft, and her sweet perfume inebriated him. Monica held him tightly and at moments like those, when they were so close together, she was under the impression that they were only one person, that she was meant to be with him since the day she was created.

The moon and the stars witnessed as the angels in human form fell asleep in each other's arms, in that secluded part of the Earth, and that moment would remain etched in their minds for the centuries to come; one of the many happy memories they would share along the eternity.

X

To be continued


	49. The Japanese surprise

**Angel of Mine Series  
**

**Episode 49: The Japanese surprise**

The elegantly dressed young man got out of the taxi in front of the sophisticated restaurant, a place where some businessmen usually met in order to decide the future of their companies or new ways of investment while they enjoyed fine and very expensive Japanese food. He crossed the entrance hall and the host took him to a previously reserved table. He was in his mid-twenties and was wearing a dark blue suit and carried a leather briefcase, and he was relatively young to be there.

But Robert Miller was an exception. He had come from a rich and traditional family and completed his studies abroad. Like his father, he was brought up and educated to continue the family business and as a way of learning, he had been sent to Japan and spent two years there. And if in the beginning he wasn't willing to do so, leaving the country proved to be one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life.

As he crossed the hall and got to his table, another gentleman was already waiting for him. He was tall and blond and like him, was wearing an elegant dark suit.

"Hi, Andrew, I'm sorry I'm late but something came up at the office and I couldn't leave earlier..." he was quick to apologise, and took a seat at the table.

"Well, it seems you're not the only one who is late." The blond angel spoke, checking his pocket watch. "Mr Ozawa's secretary has just called. He'll be here in like 20 minutes."

The young man let out a sigh of relief and sank on the chair opposite from Andrew. "Phew! I'm so glad for that otherwise I'd have another lecture from my ol'man!"

Andrew shook his head as he heard that comment. "I don't get it, Bob. If you're unhappy with this life, why don't you tell your family so?"

"It's not that easy, Andrew." He said, as the waiter brought him a drink. "Sometimes I do want to just leave it all behind and go back to Japan... to get back the life that I left behind there, you see..."

"You know, it's not too late..."

Robert let out a frustrated sigh. "I know. But it's not too simple either. When I met Suki I didn't think about anything else other than being with her... It seemed I had lived just to be with her... You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

The blond angel smiled slightly and nodded. Yes, he knew it very well. Being with his beloved Monica was like feeling a sweet eternity of joy. And as if it wasn't enough, their union had brought him a second blessing: cute little Angela, who now was certainly in her mom's arms or being extremely spoiled by a grumpy supervisor. But the two were far from him now: Monica, in some part of the world, taking care of an assignment just like him; Angela lying in gentle arms and under Tess' attentive eyes as she fell asleep lulled by the old angel's beautiful voice. Andrew could hardly wait for the time when he would hold the two angels in his arms again, kiss them softly and tell them how much he missed them.

"Yep, I do. That's why I'm telling you that if there's true love in there, nothing can be wrong in the end!"

"Well, I thought so too until my father and her parents knew about our plans to get married..." he lowered his head in visible sadness.

Andrew's face turned a serious one and he looked at the young man in the eye. "And do you think it's right that your father and her parents interfere in your life using the argument that you're not adequate to each other just because you come from two different worlds? You told me that Mr Miller didn't approve of your relationship with Suki because she doesn't belong to a rich family and because he wants you to marry someone from your social background... These motives are not legitimate ones."

"I wish I had more courage... I wish I could stand before him and say I'm going back to Japan and get married to the woman I love, but I'm weak, Andrew..."

"So you will choose to live with this guilt and with a woman you don't really love? You will run the risk to have an unhappy life?"

Those words seemed to shock him as Robert raised his head and stared at Andrew in doubt.

"Trust me, Bob, this is not how God wants you to spend your time on Earth."

A long silent minute had passed as the young man spoke again. "Do you think there's still time? She... she was disappointed with me, you see. And her parents... they took her away from me too but I didn't fight... I wonder if she wants to see me again."

"You cannot blame yourself for not trying to give you two a second chance..."

Their conversation was interrupted by a friendly-looking middle aged man. Mr Ozawa greeted them and it was possible to notice his Japanese accent. Now that meeting started to become a real business one, and apparently the blond angel would have to wait for a new opportunity to accomplish his assignment.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen of the same restaurant...

"I'm very nervous, Monica... It's going to be the first time I go there to serve the tables..." a young lady, dressed in traditional Japanese black kimono that was wore by geishas spoke. Her hair was up in a large bun, adorned with flowers and she wore the characteristic make up on her face, leaving her Japanese origin even more evident.

Truth to be told, the only one who was visibly far from having any Eastern feature was the other "geisha" who she was talking to.

"Oh, Suki you should know that being nervous is not going to help you, ya see?" She spoke, her Irish lilt was clear to anyone near them, "With a wee bit of patience you will soon get practice."

The young lady sighed deeply and sat down on a nearby stool. "I am starting to think I shouldn't have left Japan to come here... To come to look for someone I didn't even know if will be happy to see me again..."

She was about to cry, but Monica knelt down on the floor and, feeling terribly sorry for the assignment she had right before her, she placed a supportive hand over her shoulder. Like her, the Irish angel was wearing a lilac kimono and her auburn hair was equally tied up in a large bun. Her outfit and the white make up and red lipstick on her face did make her look pretty, and probably at a distance she would be mistaken as a geisha.

"You don't know that, Suki. From what you've told me, Robert loves you deeply despite the mistake he made when he came back home."

"And left me behind..."

"You said he was crying on the day he left, that your family made him leave, and that his father was also against your romance. And you also told me he promised you he would come back..."

"That's true... But I guess I'm dreaming about something impossible... And because of him, I decided to tell my family I'd fight for our love. Then I came to this country, and everything is so new and so unsettled to me... Sometimes I feel I came from another time and place..."

Monica let out a small sigh and nodded. "Sometimes I too feel like I am still adapting to some human habits. But you only manage to understand them if you have a forgiving and open heart."

"My family told me that sooner or later Bob would get tired of me and leave..." The young lady told her. "I must say that they were rude to Bob and that I argued with them, I told them Bob was different. But I guess that they weren't that wrong after all..."

The Irish angel searched for her hand and squeezed it gently. "If you truly believe it, then why did you decide to come to America?"

Suki lowered her head as she herself didn't know how to reply to that question. "The truth is that I'm feeling lost right now... and hopeless..."

"I understand that... but you should trust your heart first. And trust that there's a loving God looking after you, guiding your steps even though you don't know exactly where they're leading you to."

The girl rose her head and looked at Monica again. "Does God heal the anguish I'm feeling inside right now?"

"Oh, yes, He does, Suki. He's a loving father who cheers up when He sees His children's heart is filled with joy."

Suki wiped her tears and rose to her feet. "I'm going to show you something..." She left the restaurant kitchen for a moment and went up to a small room attached to it. There, she searched for her bag, which was in a little cabinet. "I have a picture of him..."

She showed Monica the photograph taken a few months earlier: she and her boyfriend were holding each other with a broad smile upon their faces, the couple's happiness was evident. "It's by a lake in my hometown."

"This is such a beautiful place..." Monica spoke, taking the photo in her hand and smiled.

Suki nodded her head in agreement, a bittersweet memory crossing her mind. "This is where we first kissed..."

The Irish angel was going to say something else but the chef's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Hey, one of you two, go take the order of table number 7!" he said, with a strong Japanese accent.

Suki looked at her friend and colleague with her eyes filled with tears and Monica didn't think twice before rising to her feet and volunteering to do the task. "I'll handle things here, Suki. Perhaps you should go to the restroom and fix your make up, you see..."

"Thanks, Monica... Thank you very much for your support..." she spoke, evident gratefulness in her eyes.

The angel gave her a friendly smile and left to fulfil her duties as the waitress of that thematic restaurant. Monica took the tray with table 7 order and left the kitchen praying for Suki. For the last two weeks the little angel had been a friend to her and listened intently to her sad story but Monica wasn't quite sure on how that assignment would end. Of course she had offered to help Suki look for her boyfriend, she knew that either good or bad that meeting could be, Monica would offer the poor young lady all her support and reassurance. But what was the Irish angel there for? How could she help more?

Monica sighed as she headed to the table number 7, at the same time her beloved Andrew's image came to her mind, warming her heart with joy and with the certainty of her being in his arms after nearly two weeks of separation.

There, a business conversation took place. "Years living here and I still cannot get used to your food..." Mr Ozawa spoke, as the geisha waitress approached them. And when she started placing the meal on the table, Andrew turned his face up and immediately recognised her.

Monica's eyes met his own a second later and her first impulse was to greet him, but before she could, she heard the Japanese businessman's words again. "Oh, there it is!"

Andrew had to suppress a small laugh as he saw his beloved angel girl dressed up like that and wearing all that make up. He had seen her wearing some other unusual costumes before, and every time she did it would secretly amuse him. This time it wasn't different: Monica's lilac kimono and the way she had tied up her hair were different from everything else she had already wore, and in a way she really looked beautiful in those clothes.

And when she heard Mr Ozawa's voice, Monica turned to her left and saw the friendly old gentleman looking at the tray she was carrying - and which was rather full and heavy. But a second voice did have an impact on the angel. And it wasn't Andrew's.

"Contrary to you, Mr Ozawa, I got used quickly to the Japanese habits... and I can honestly say that I miss them..."

Bob's words called Monica's attention and she couldn't help looking at him before she even started to serve the food. And it only took her that very second to understand God's perfect plan.

Her surprise to see Suki's boyfriend sitting at that table was such that she accidentally dropped the tray and the food over the one that was closest to her - in this case, her dear Andrew.

"Oh, my goodness!" Mr Ozawa spoke, as he, Bob and Andrew himself rose to their feet. The blond angel's dark suit was now partially covered with sauce and other Japanese condiments.

"Oh! I... I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, twice nervous: she had covered her beloved Andrew with food and found out that her assignment's solution was standing right before her. Nervously, she placed the tray on the table and took a napkin to help him clean himself - even though she had done a lot more damage to his clothes than what she could even clean with a small piece of cloth.

"It's... it's okay..." Andrew replied, and not really minding the incident itself, but truly worried about Monica, as he could see her nervousness. Besides this, he knew her well enough to notice there was something else going on; something he didn't know exactly what was, but which could well have relation to his assignment.

A moment later, the restaurant manager came along, and seeing the mess his geisha waitress had caused, he was quick to apologise.

"Oh, no, it's... it's okay... it was an accident..." Andrew tried to say, and exchanged a secret glance with Monica, who was eager to tell him something.

"Yeah, it could've happened to anyone..." Bob tried to help, feeling sorry for the poor waitress.

"We're really, really sorry, sir!" the manager spoke, as nervous as Monica.

Andrew tried to smile. "It's alright, really, I... I can clean it..."

"Get someone to clean this mess, quickly!" the man said, and Monica gladly took this opportunity to leave - there was an assignment to fulfil but she had to be quick. She gave Andrew another look and left.

"Oh, well... this is quite unexpected, Andrew!" Mr Ozawa said, and truth to be told, he seemed to be having fun with the situation.

The angel of death nodded. "Yeah, I guess unexpected is the perfect word right now... Erm.. if you excuse me, I'll go to the gentlemen's room to try to clean my suit..."

"Sure, Andrew, go ahead! Mr Ozawa and I can discuss the accountant's report while you do it." The young man spoke.

X

A minute later, inside the gentlemen's room...

Andrew had opened a faucet and was trying to clean his suit - his effort a rather useless one, when all of a sudden a very familiar and dear voice came from behind him.

"I didn't mean to cover you up with sauce, you know..."

He quickly turned around and saw his beloved Monica standing right before him, still wearing her costumes, and with a pleading yet adorable expression on her face.

"Monica, this is the gentlemen's room!" he spoke, looking around with a worried expression on his face.

"I know, but I could not wait to ask you something!"

After he was sure there was no one else inside that restroom, he turned his attention to her and as he lay his eyes on the beautiful angel standing right in front of him, he couldn't help but stop to think how amazingly beautiful she was.

"Wh-what do you want to ask me?" he spoke, confused and enchanted at the same time. She had just made a mess around there and yet he couldn't be more grateful to see his lovely angel girl again.

"Who is the young man sitting with you? What is his name?"

"Bob? Are you in this assignment too?"

She was thoughtful for a moment, not sure of how to answer to his question. "Well... no... but... perhaps I am..."

"Monica!" he was again worried about the presence of someone entering through the door and her frequent confusing statements right now would only make things worse.

"I feel there might be some connection here, you know. My assignment is in the kitchen and I have reasons to believe that two destinies were put together tonight, with our help..." she spoke, while he kept on looking at her from head to toe, fascinated with her costume.

"His name is Robert Miller... And..."

"Oh, that's him then! I recognised him as I approached your table!" she was visibly excited as her brown eyes beamed with joy. Only then she noticed Andrew hadn't finished his sentence. "And?"

He let out an impatient sigh. "I'm having trouble concentrating right now..."

Only then she realised what he meant, and the way he was looking at her. A slight blush rose on her cheeks as she smiled. "Oh..."

"You... you can't stay here, Monica, this is the gentlemen's room and it's not a place for you."

"Well, then I'm glad that you're the only gentleman here right now because you're the only one I can see in all aspects a gentleman can be seen!" her Irish lilt and the witty expression on her face left him speechless but before he could say something else, Monica smiled and gently lay her both hands on each side of his face. "...but I also happen to have an assignment to accomplish!"

She kissed his lips quickly and on the following second, Monica was gone. He couldn't help but chuckle with amusement.

X

Hidden in a corner, the Irish angel watched as Suki walked over to the table were she was serving before. In the young lady's thoughts was the uncertainty that had settled in her heart after her beloved Robert had left her, almost a year ago. And when the young couple lay their eyes on each other, emotion could be seen miles away.

"Robert? Bob?" she said, with trembling voice and almost dropping the tray.

"Suki?! Suki, it's really you!?" he rose to his feet again and was as surprised and as nervous as she was. They forgot everything around them and, as Suki's tears quickly fell from her eyes, he walked up to her and gently lay both hands on each side of her face.

"Yes, Bob... it's me..."

"How did you end up here? When did you come to America?!"

"I left it all behind... I felt a part of me was missing... my best part... and it was here..." she explained, a sobbing voice and moving look.

Robert caressed her face with tenderness and emotion. "Oh, Suki... my beautiful Suki... I think I don't deserve you, baby... But I love you... I love you so much... and I want to tell you how sorry I am..."

"When you left I fell ill... I was so sad... so incredibly sad..."

"I came back to your house on the day I left, I wanted to take you with me but you... you had gone..."

"My parents... they made me to..."

He shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. Had Bob arrived earlier, things would have been different. Much suffering would have been avoided. "Oh, Suki... I thought I had lost you... I was afraid to go back there and find out you had got married..."

"They wanted me to, but I refused... I felt I could never belong to someone else other than you..."

He wiped away her tears with gentle fingers and smiled. "I promise that I'll live to honour you... that I'll live to honour your love, baby... If you accept me back..."

"Oh, Bob..." She burst into tears and searched for the comfort of his arms, and the young man held her tightly, fiercely as if his life depended on it.

And in a way, it did.

From a distance, the Irish angel smiled broadly at the moving scene and as those who were in the restaurant applauded the young couple, she wiped away a few tears that had rolled down her face almost unnoticed. Those were tears of joy that every angel would shed once in a while when their assignment was fulfilled as beautifully as this was.

X

Andrew left the elevator on the corridor of the 5th floor of that residential building and walked up to apartment number 502. He had changed his shirt and got rid of the blazer that had been ruined earlier during the lunchtime and now, once his duty was over, there he was, to spend the last night in his temporary home. There, he inserted the key in his temporary apartment and turned the door open a few seconds later. Like his beloved Monica's, the blond angel's assignment had also been fulfilled but now he wondered where his adorable valentine had gone after Suki and Bob's meeting at the restaurant.

But his questioning finished as soon as he lay his eyes at the coffee table, in the middle of his living room, and saw that a delicious dinner had been made and was just waiting for him to arrive. Whenever he had to spend some time on Earth, in human form, Andrew used to keep his temporary home clean and organised. But now, besides the evident order, there was also a cosy and warm atmosphere surrounding the place, and it reproduced some of the Japanese restaurant's decoration.

Smiling, he closed the door behind him and before he could say something, the angel of death was greeted by the familiar soothing voice he loved so much. "Good evening, Andrew..."

Monica entered the living room and her Irish lilt filled his ears, as he especially adored the way she pronounced his name. And his smile grew wider as she was still wearing the lilac Japanese kimono which made her look so beautiful. Now, however, all the make up on her face was gone and her auburn hair was cascading over her shoulders and down her spine. As she approached him with the beautiful smile that accentuated her dimples on her cheeks and chin, Andrew reached to lay both hands on her face; his joy was evident.

"Good evening, angel! I feel like a human husband who got home and found his lovely wife waiting for him!" he bent down and very gently pressed his lips against hers, in a slow loving kiss which both of them longed for during each other's absence. He moved one of his hands and entangled his fingers through her hair, caressing her long strands and applying gentle pressure so that he could deepen that sweet caress.

Monica held him tightly and welcomed the kiss with the same intensity, her heart beating with joy at the feeling of being in his arms again. His tender touch, the way he would always hold her so delicately... truth to be told, Andrew's arms was the safest place on Earth.

Only long moments later did they pulled apart and the blond angel took the opportunity to kiss her again but now with tiny loving kisses.

"I missed you so much... It's like missing Home, you know, Andrew..." she spoke, finally resting her face against his chest, listening to his heartbeats as he held her more tightly.

"I know how you feel, angel, as I feel the same thing..." he let out a sigh and kissed the top of her head - Monica was short and now, with her bare feet, the angel was even shorter and it seemed she engulfed by his strong arms. "... and I'd never imagine our paths would cross in such an expected way!"

The Irish angel looked up at him with some embarrassment despite the smile that was playing on her lips. "I'm sorry that during my path I ended up dropping your lunch all over you..."

Chuckling, he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and returned the gaze. "Hum... I guess I can forgive you..."

Monica stood on the tip of her toes but only could manage to brush a kiss on his chin. "Actually, I prepared you something as a way of making it up to you..." she spoke so adorably that his main concern was left unnoticed.

"Really? But... did you cook all this?"

"Oh, I have to confess that I didn't. I ordered it for delivery..." those words brought him relief. "...and came to your 'house' so that I could prepare you a typical Japanese dinner!"

Highly amused, he grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her dearly. "I can see it includes this beautiful outfit!"

Monica looked down at her own clothes and then back at him. "Oh, well, I didn't mean to spoil the atmosphere, you know... And I kinda enjoy this pretty kimono!"

He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head - it was evident he couldn't get his eyes off her. "I have to confess that I'm enjoying it too!"

Blushing at his flirting and equally amused, she gently disentangled from his embrace and grabbed his hand, leading him up to the table.

X

"Did it make up for the lunch that you didn't get to eat?" Monica wanted to know, lazily lying in his arms, a couple of hours later, when both of them decided to spread over the shaggy carpet on the living room floor. Andrew had his back against the sofa while she used his chest as a comforter and traced invisible patterns on the fabric of his shirt.

He chuckled and took her hand to place a kiss on her palm. "Everything was perfect, angel."

"I have to confess that since I started working at that restaurant I thought about surprising you with something special!" she told him, receiving a kiss on the top of her head.

"You did surprise me!"

Monica turned her head up so that she could look at him. "I was so happy that our assignments ended well!"

"I'm sure the Father guided us to that very moment there in the restaurant..." he said, stroking her hair.

"Yes... and I'm glad that getting the job there wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be!"

Those words and her enthusiasm made him curious. "What do you mean, angel? Did you have to actually get the job?"

"Yes, I applied for it, Andrew!"

"And... how did you get the job at a Japanese restaurant? I mean, you're certainly the most beautiful angel I've ever seen in my whole existence but I noticed that the waitresses there have Japanese origin..."

"Oh, that was because of my culinary abilities, ya know?"

It took Andrew a lot of effort not to laugh at that revelation. "Your... culinary abilities?"

She nodded excited as a ten-year-old. "Yes! The manager of the restaurant, Mr Hishida, is a wee bit grumpy, you know. But I learned that he was a coffee fan so I took the opportunity to prepare him a double mocha latte and he loved it so much that he accepted me for the job!"

The blond angel could not hold it any longer and laughed. "Oh, Monica... You're certainly one of a kind!"

Enjoying the fact that he too was amused, she inched closer and nuzzled her face up to his neck, kissing him lightly on his cheek. "You're one of a kind to me too, you know..."

He looked down at her, still finding her image wrapped up in that beautiful gown hypnotising. "And so amazingly beautiful..." his hand was now against her cheek and he cupped her face so that he could kiss her lips softly. "...my beautiful angelic geisha..."

His whispered words to her ear and the other kiss that followed them caused her to feel pleasant butterflies in her stomach and her lips curved into a smile as the kiss continued. It was soon followed by another, and another. More loving words were softly spoken in that cosy little apartment and soon its lights were off, as their meeting too was blessed with much love and with the joy that would always fill their hearts whenever they were together.

X

To be continued


	50. The temporary home

Angel of mine series

Episode 50: The temporary home

"It's here!"

Tess stopped her red Cadillac in front of a small but very charming residential three-floor building, in a more quiet area of Salt Lake City. Next to her, Andrew moved to open up the door and get off the vehicle, so that he could help Monica. The Irish angel was sitting in the back, standing beside a wide eyed Angela. She gently removed the little angel's seat belt and freed her from her chair.

"Here we go, wee one!"

Monica kissed her daughter's cheek and handed her to Andrew, who accepted the precious cargo with a smile that matched Angela's.

"And it seems someone is very excited about her temporary home!" the angel of death spoke, smiling at how the little one raised almost non-existent eyebrows as she looked at the building in front of them.

"And what are we waiting for? Let's go inside!" the supervisor commanded, once Monica had also left the Cadillac and joined them.

Andrew handed Angela back to her mom and opened up the door of the apartment 305. When the group entered the living room, they gladly contemplated its beautiful decoration.

"I made the decor myself!" the oldest angel proudly announced, causing Andrew and Monica to exchange an amused glance. They stood each on Tess' side and as Andrew passed his arm around her shoulder, Monica inched closer to her. "It's all very beautiful, Tess!"

"Well... yes, it really is! Beautiful like an angelic family should be!"

"You're part of this family too, Tess!" Andrew kissed her cheek

"I know that, baby. And the instructions is that you'll stay here for a week, just living like a regular human family would."

"And when do we know what our assignment is, Tess?" the Irish angel wanted to know.

"Oh, don't worry angel girl, you'll know it when the time comes. For a while all you need to know is that you will start working tomorrow, as a maid for a wealthy family."

"And what about Angela? I mean, she will need someone to look after her and with Monica and I working, I think-"

"Hold on to your horses, Mr Halo!" the supervisor raised her hand, interrupting him. "You have a very important and special assignment which I'm sure you'll enjoy a lot!"

"What assignment is it then?"

"Your mission is to stay home and take care of this cute little angel girl here! Like a good daddy would do!"

And Tess was right: not only Andrew but also his beloved Monica grinned with contentment at that piece of news. "Really? I'll get the chance to look after Angela while Monica is on assignment?" He spoke, hardly believing it.

"That is correct, angel boy!"

Monica kissed her daughter's rosy cheek. "Well, looks like someone is going to have a lot of fun with her daddy then!"

As the little angel clapped tiny chubby hands and smiled, Tess inched closer and kissed her cheek. "Well, I can see everybody is pleased but for now I'll have to let you three settle down because I have an assignment not far from here."

"But you'll come to visit us, won't you?" Monica wanted to know, while little Angela played with her hair.

"Yes, baby, I can't stay here on Earth and not see you all..." she threw an affectionate gaze at the trio.

"Having you around is just as necessary, Tess."

The old supervisor bid them goodbye and left, and once she did so Monica and Andrew looked at each other.

"Hum... as we're gonna act like a regular family in our temporary home... Shall I carry you through the threshold?" He joked, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. Monica returned his mischievous smile and then looked at little Angela, who seemed to be rather entertained with a lock of her mommy's hair.

"I'd love it if you did this again, you know, as I have lovely memories of our honeymoon. But this time we have some wee company here!"

Angela turned innocent little eyes at her parents, noticing that they were both looking at her and smiling.

"Hum..." Andrew arranged some strands of his daughter's soft auburn hair, "Little angels go to bed early, I'm afraid!"

"Ah, the perks of being in human form!" Monica's Irish lilt was like music to his ears and, laughing, he bent down and kissed her lips softly.

X

It was nearly 8 at night when Monica finished to wash the dishes and keep the leftovers of their dinner. She, Andrew and Angela had spent a pleasant and lazy afternoon and evening enjoying one another's company, and the couple of angels wondered how human beings didn't give value to something so precious as staying with their loved ones.

The Irish angel came out of the kitchen and a scene in the middle of the living room filled her heart with tenderness. Andrew was walking slowly around the room carrying an asleep little Angela in his arms. The little girl had found a comfortable pillow in his chest and fell asleep to the sound of his soothing voice whispering a bedtime story to her ear. Monica loved watching the interaction between father and daughter as she felt extremely sorry for Andrew. He was the one who didn't have the chance to see wee Angela as much as she did. His assignments all around the world left him with nothing but short visits to the little angel, or some few stolen moments when she was already sleeping. The opportunity to spend an entire day with her was precious and Monica knew it.

"You two look so beautiful together..." she spoke, in a low voice as she approached them.

"If I were human and didn't know what angels looked like, I'd still think she's a real angel!" he said, with a broad smile upon his face, not managing to hide his contentment.

Smiling, Monica stroked Angela's soft hair. "Yes, this wee one was created to spread much joy and tenderness wherever she goes! And I think she chose the best place on Earth to fall asleep!"

Chuckling, he looked at the baby again and reluctantly came to a conclusion. "I think I should put her in bed..."

"Well, I think she would spend a pleasant night right there where she is now, but I think her daddy's human form would be rather tired!"

They went up to the baby's room, where the soft light coming from the nightstand broke the darkness. Before depositing Angela in her crib, Andrew kissed the top of her head and caressed her auburn hair. "May God watch over you, my little angel... I love you very much!"

He looked at Monica and she gave a step forward to say good night to her daughter. "Sleep well, my wee one. And have only sweet dreams..."

She kissed Angela's cheek and Andrew gently lay their baby in the white crib. A delicate mobile was hanging on the top of it and they wondered how much it would entertain the little one on the following day. After covering her small form with a white blanket, they held each other and stood there, just admiring their precious treasure as she slept.

X

"Something tells me I'm going to enjoy these days we'll spend as a human family, you know Andrew?" Monica spoke, as he closed Angela's bedroom door behind them and headed back to the living room.

Smiling, he lay both hands over her small shoulders as she tilted her head to look up at him. "I'm sure about it, angel!"

"I love it when you have some time to spend with her, as I know how much you miss it."

"I do... Nothing feels as perfect as spending my time with both of you! My two angels!"

He reached for her hand and took it to his lips as she returned his smile. "Well... What would a regular human family do now?"

With a crooked grin, he wrapped his arm around her waist and gently brought her closer to him. "Hum... I think a regular husband should now give more attention to his beautiful and adorable wife!" he said, cupping her cheek and lost in the spark of her sweet brown eyes. Their faces inched closer and Monica closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for his tender kiss.

But before their lips met, a noise coming from outside their temporary home interrupted their moment. They could hear a voice coming from the corridor on same floor their apartment was on. And it was asking for help.

"But what is going on, Andrew?"

"I'm afraid we're dealing with our first assignment, angel..."

They opened up their apartment door and found out that the voice belonged to a woman. She was about forty and had a crying expression on her face.

"Please, somebody help me!"

"Miss, what happened?" Andrew wanted to know, as Monica closed their apartment door behind them - the voices could wake Angela up.

"What can we do to help?" the Irish angel asked, and both walked over up to the desperate lady.

"It's my husband... He... he's not feeling well and I have to take him to the hospital..." she explained, and Andrew was quick to offer their car. "I can take him to hospital, our car is parked outside..." he said, aware that the red Cadillac would be ready for him.

Monica placed a supportive hand over her shoulder. "Yes, Andrew can help him to go down... please, be calm, everything will turn out fine..."

Relief and some tears appeared in the woman's eyes. "Oh, thank you... Edward, he was diagnosed with a heart condition a few months ago and I'm afraid he's getting worse..."

Monica and Andrew exchanged a worried glance as he asked permission to go inside the other apartment and help the man. They wondered if the first assignment there was Andrew's, and if it would be as an angel of death.

Soon, Monica watched through the window in Angela's bedroom as Andrew and the couple got inside the Cadillac and headed to the hospital. Looking at her little daughter, who slept peacefully, she offered her prayers for Mr and Mrs Parker, as she could imagine the wife's anguish at her beloved husband's condition.

X

It was past midnight when Andrew parked the red Cadillac in front of the building, and Monica heaved a sigh of relief at the fact that he was finally back to her and to Angela, even though the worry about their temporary neighbour remained.

"How is he, Andrew?" she wanted to know, as she opened up the door for him.

The blond angel removed his leather jacket as a smile formed on his lips. "He's fine, angel... everything will be just fine with him!" he announced, throwing the garment on the armchair.

And a matching smile appeared on her pretty face. "Oh, thank You, Father! I prayed so much!"

"It was really an assignment, Monica. When we came to her help, Mr Parker's wife told us he was diagnosed with a heart condition, right?"

"Yes, I was so worried for both of them, you know..."

"Well, what happens is that when I looked at the man I immediately knew he couldn't have anything like that because these two... they'll live a long life together, Monica, and what Mrs Parker said didn't seem right. When we got at the hospital, due to my insistence, the doctors ran some more tests and found out the diagnosis was wrong."

Monica covered her mouth with both hands in surprise and amazement. "Oh, my goodness..."

"Edward Parker was actually suffering the side effects of the wrong medication..." he concluded, as pleased with that piece of news as Monica. "And as I said, he'll have a very long and happy life next to his wife and children..."

Her smile grew wider as she closed the door and nodded. "I noticed that too... I'm afraid wee Angela isn't the only baby around this building as Loraine is carrying twins with her..."

"And being in a hospital, she'll find that out soon!" Andrew added.

"Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich or-"

The blond angel wrapped both arms around her waist and brought her closer to him. "No sandwich is necessary, angel... Actually, we were discussing something when Mrs Parker's voice interrupted us, remember?"

Rather amused, she narrowed her eyes as she pretended to remember what he was talking about. "Oh, that's true... something to do with the perks of being in human form..."

Chuckling, he surprised her by passing his arm underneath her knees and lifting her up, and she tried to stifle an excited yelp. "Andrew!"

"I told you a regular husband should carry his wife through the threshold!"

"Well, I want you to know that your wife loves you very much!" she replied, her giggling subsiding as he inched his face closer to hers; her heartbeats accelerated every time he looked at her like that.

"She's very loved too..." he spoke, in a low voice as his green eyes scanned every feature of her meek face, "...and I'm gonna show her how much... one more time..."

Words finally ceased as Andrew brushed his lips against hers, in a long and loving kiss that both had been waiting to exchange almost the entire night. Monica lay a gentle hand against his strong jaw and caressed his face with delicate fingertips. The blond angel carried her along the living room and towards their room without breaking that sweet caress, and when they finally parted it was just for a moment, as another kiss started after a loving gaze.

And through that gaze echoed the feelings that were coming from the bottom of their hearts. Loving feelings that could never be translated into words but which they would always be aware of, as their hearts beat like one.

To be continued


	51. A pretty gift

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 51: A pretty gift

"Very well, little angel! I guess we're almost finishing here!"

The sound of Andrew's voice was one more reason for Angela to turn her sparkling green eyes and meet his equal ones and shoot him a broad smile. He replied by grinning back at her, before grabbing a hair brush and combing her short and delicate auburn strands, which she had inherited from her mother. They were still wet as her daddy had just given her a warm bath. Then, Andrew had carefully selected her clothes for her outing in the park: a lovely pink dress, with white flowers on its skirt. On her feet, comfortable tiny white sandals appropriate for the clumsy walks she would give once in a while, always under her parents' attentive eyes.

The blond angel finished his joyful task and gave a step back to admire the pretty little angel that was sitting on the nursery, happily playing with a small stuffed frog. Noticing that she was being observed, Angela raised her eyes again and smiled at her daddy for the second time. With his heart filled with tenderness, Andrew stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"You are the prettiest little angel I've ever seen, sweetie! And I know who you got all this beauty from!"

He kissed her small chubby hand and kept the hair brush inside the bag he, Monica or Tess used to carry whenever they took the little one to go on an outing.

"Now guess what you, daddy and your little friends are gonna do?" he spoke, taking her in his arms. "See? It's a beautiful day today so what do you think about us going to the park, huh?"

The way she moved her chubby little arms told him Angela had loved the idea. Laughing, he kissed her cheek and then carried her out of the bedroom and up to the living room, where her other little toys were. As Tess had explained them, their home would be that pretty apartment for the entire week, but only Monica was going to be on assignment. She was working for a rich family, taking care of their youngsters, and would spend the whole day out.

But Monica didn't complain. Much on the contrary: the Irish angel was happy that she, Andrew and Angela had been granted with some time together, and she was secretly enjoying the fact that her Andrew had the chance to watch over their little one, as she knew how much he missed those precious moments when he was away on assignment.

He carefully placed little Angela on the carpeted floor and sat down in front of her, chuckling at the way she tried to keep the balance while she was standing on her feet by herself. "Well, what do you think of taking all your little friends to the park with us, huh?"

Smiling, the little girl sat in front of her favourite and only toys and placed them on her lap: a frog, a caterpillar, a ladybird and a wide-eyed turtle. They were small and stuffed, and it was evident how much she enjoyed them.

All of a sudden, another familiar voice reached their ears and both angels turned their heads to see Tess standing by the entrance door. The oldest angel was smiling at them and felt her heart invaded with great joy at the vision of her favourite little angel girl smiling back at her, welcoming her presence with so much gladness.

"Aw, there you are, my pretty angel baby girl!"

Angela's giggles made the expression on her face soften a bit more, and Andrew chuckled, secretly amused at the way such a tiny little creature had the grumpy supervisor wrapped around her little finger. Tess was carrying a package in her hands but she placed it over the coffee table for a moment to sit down on the carpet. Then, she picked the little angel up and kissed her rosy cheek. "Aw, look at her! She's prettier and more adorable every day!"

"She sure is!" Andrew spoke, also caressing his daughter's soft hair.

"'tie Tess..." Angela's sweet voice and the way she was looking at them was the perfect expression of God's wonderful creations. She was sweet, innocent and certainly created to spread joy and affection wherever she went.

"How is my little angel girl doing? Auntie Tess has got something for you!" the supervisor spoke, replacing Angela on the carpet. Then, she grabbed the small box she had brought with her and, under the little girl's attentive eyes, shook it lightly. "Another little friend for you to play with!"

The older angel opened the box and took a small teddy bear from inside. It was possible to see it was antique, and very delicate. The cute little baby raised her chubby arms to grab the teddy bear that was being offered to her. And the permanent smile on her face, which always made two tiny dimples visible on each side of her cheek, enchanted the angel who was offering the toy to her. Tess sighed pleased when little Angela grabbed the small stuffed bear and examined it carefully.

But much to her distress, the little angel placed the toy next to the bag Andrew was taking with him and turned her attention back to the other toys. Tess frowned with concern. "What's wrong? How come she prefers to play with a worm, a bug and an animal that came from a swamp? Where in Heaven did she get that from?"

Not managing to hide his smile, Andrew shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Tess... remember that it's not only a worm... it's Bob!" he winked at her, clearing remembering the time when Angela's mother had named real worms while they were on an assignment.

Rolling her eyes, Tess let out a tired sigh. "How could I forget that?"

"Maybe Angela just needs some time to get used to another friend around..." Andrew was trying his best not to hurt the supervisor's heart.

"Yes, I think you're right. Are you two going out?"

He smiled joyfully. "Yes, I'm gonna take her to the park. You coming?"

"I'm afraid I can't. But..." she looked at the rejected teddy bear, "...it would be a good idea if you took it with you, she could get used to the new present today..."

"Oh, yeah, of course!" Not wanting to contradict her, Andrew picked up the toy and put it inside the bag. Then, he turned to his daughter and gently asked for her permission to put the other toys in the bag too, so that she would carry just one.

"Well, I guess we're all ready to go to the park now!" he said, picking her up in his arms.

"Pwack!" she repeated, holding the funny looking ladybird in her tiny hands.

"Oh, sweetie, you have a lot of fun in there, will ya?" Tess kissed her cheek and received a smile in return. Then, she bid Andrew goodbye and on the following moment, the supervisor was gone.

"Well, I guess it's our turn to leave now!" he spoke, gazing at her pretty face.

Giggling, she placed her chubby hand against his chin. "Daddy!"

Angela's sing song voice was like music to his ears and permanently chatting with her, Andrew left the apartment and headed to the park.

X

Under the gentle morning sunrays, Andrew spread a white towel over the green grass and sat with his precious little angel to play with her and her "little friends". And what amused him was the fact that she would keep the teddy bear that Tess had given her apart. No matter how many times he tried to insert it in the context, the chubby little hand insisted on placing it away, next to the bag.

"Well, little angel... I'm afraid your auntie Tess is not going to be pleased with that, you know?" he spoke, watching her.

"Mummy..." Angela suddenly spoke, and raised her head to look at her father, who had also felt what she felt.

"Yes..." his lips curved into a slight smile as he started to scan the park, amongst talkative children, couples in love and elderly grandparents who watched their descendants playing. And a heartbeat later, there she was. Monica walked towards them grinning at the vision of her two beloved ones waiting for her. Andrew and Angela were everything of the most precious she had in her entire existence; her miracle.

"Hey, look who's there, Angela!" The blond angel put Angela on her feet and showed her that her 'mummy' was coming closer. The little one opened a broad smile and let go of her toys for a while; giving short and clumsy steps towards the Irish angel.

Overwhelmed with tenderness, and feeling the presence of tears, Monica opened her arms to Angela and knelt on the grass, purposefully keeping some distance so that the little angel would have to walk a wee bit more to reach her. And once she did so, Monica held her baby daughter tightly in her arms.

"Mummy!"

"Oh, my wee one! Mommy is so happy to see you!"

She raised her in her arms and covered Angela's sweet face with lots of kisses as Andrew came closer to them, pleased to witness such an affectionate meeting between mother and daughter. He chuckled at the way his little one was smiling at her mom - two or three teeth could be seen. Monica touched Angela's nose with hers and happy to hear the little girl's giggling, she turned to the blond angel.

"Doesn't a smile like this make your heart beat a wee bit happier?"

Without breaking the eye contact with her and clearly enjoying to see her broad smile, he replied. "It sure does..."

And clearly enjoying his flirting, she bit her lower lip as her cheeks blushed a little. There were no other words spoken between them, as they were not necessary. Lost in her brown pools, Andrew brought his face closer to hers and on the following seconds, Monica's eyes closed slowly, in expectation for the sweet kiss that followed. He pressed his lips against hers even so gently that she felt pleasantly trapped in one of those perfect moments that would last a small eternity.

"And I finally got to do what I've been wanting to since I woke up and didn't see my wife!" he said, gently stroking her cheek, his eyes travelling all over her meek face, studying her Gaelic features he could now see reflected on Angela too.

Monica tilted her head adorably, returning his gaze while caressing her baby's soft hair. "I'm so sorry. I think I was a wee bit late already and..." she made a stop and her smile grew wider. "...you were so cute sleeping I didn't have the courage to wake you up!" As she said so, she stood on the tip of her toes and pecked his lips playfully.

Chuckling, he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her up to the towel, where the beautiful family settled.

"How is your assignment doing? I didn't think I'd meet you here in the park, angel..." he wanted to know, both angels sharing the attention with little Angela's gibberish and funny giggling.

"Oh, well... The Gibson family seems to be just like a normal family, except for Mrs Gibson. She seems... a sad old woman, you see, Andrew. And I'm under the impression that it all started a long time ago, because of something that I still don't understand. My heart told me to come to the park and think about what I've seen and heard so far..." she looked at Angela and then back at him, and the concern on her face gave place to another smile. "I guess it was actually telling me that everything of the most precious to me was here and that I needed to have a break from my duties as a governess. Seeing you and our wee one renews my hopes."

"I do understand you, angel... How many times I was the one coping with a hard assignment and then you two came around and filled my soul with hope?"

She caressed his handsome face and he covered her hand with his own, kissing her palm. "I miss you two terribly during the days, you know? When I return to our temporary home, wee Angela is already sleeping and my human form is also so tired I end up falling asleep..."

"You look cute when you're sleeping!" he joked, kissing her cheek as her lips curved into a smile.

The small teddy bear Angela had been given a while before caught her eye. "It was 'auntie Tess' present but I sense our little angel didn't like it as much as she likes her other friends, you see..." Andrew explained, quite amused at how the little girl ignored the cute toy.

"And I can imagine auntie Tess isn't very happy with it..."

"No, she's not!" he said. "Are you coming with us or do you still have to go to the Gibson's?" Andrew wanted to know, aware that his beloved Monica was fulfilling God's assignment but also wanting her to stay with him and their beautiful daughter. Angela was sitting on her mom's lap and entertained with her little toys, and Monica turned her eyes from her to look at him with a broad smile.

"Mrs Gibson gave me the rest of the day off." She happily announced. "And the Father gave a little hand by telling me you two were here!"

Extremely pleased to hear that, Andrew tightened the hold around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "So it means we'll have a special dinner tonight!"

"Oh, yes, a special dinner sounds wonderful!"

Smiling, the three angels spent some more time at the park, enjoying the gentle sunrays and each other's company. When it was time to go, Monica collected Angela's toys and only then she examined the teddy bear closely.

"Hum... It's cute and it seems to be antique..."

"It is... I'm just not sure if our little one is a fan of antique as much as her auntie Tess is!"

They were both laughing when Angela raised her chubby little arms and took the teddy bear from her mother's hands.

"Oh! Looks like she's getting used to the idea!" Andrew said, and to their surprise, she continued to hold it in her hands. She didn't play with it, though. It seemed that Angela wanted to keep it with her for some reason yet to be discovered by her parents, leaving them to exchange a look of curiosity.

Half an hour later they were leaving the park and heading to their temporary home, and Monica and Andrew decided to let Angela walk a little. While Monica held her tiny hand in hers, Andrew followed by her side, and both were highly amused at her clumsy steps and at how she kept the teddy bear close to her. There was an old gentleman sitting on the bench not far from where they were, and when they passed by the man, Angela unexpectedly stopped. To her parents' surprise, she walked towards him and gave him the teddy bear.

While Monica and Andrew were staring at each other with intrigued faces, the man smiled at the little girl. "Oh, little one, a present for me?" he spoke, finding it funny how she had interrupted his lonely thoughts.

Angela was gazing up at him with a slight smile upon her meek face and with some expectation too.

"She's a very sociable little one!" Monica spoke, she and Andrew also approaching the old man.

He looked at the couple and smiled. "Oh, I'm sure she is!" Then, he turned his eyes to Angela once again. She continued to gaze at him, fidgeting with the brim of her skirt. "Thank you, sweetheart, it's really a beautiful present but I think it'll be more beautiful in your bedroom!" he returned the toy to Angela. But the little one gave it back to him once again.

The old man looked at Angela's parents with curiosity and Monica and Andrew shrugged their shoulders, as intrigued as she was. "Looks like this wee one doesn't accept 'no' as an answer!"

The man looked at the teddy bear, now paying close attention to its details. A bittersweet smile appeared on his old face as he spoke again. "It reminds me of my childhood."

Moved to hear that, Monica sat on the bench next to him and placed Angela on her lap. "It's a precious memory, sir."

" It is. I had an older brother and a younger sister and... well... Times were hard in those days. The world was haunted by the nazi. My sister had a teddy bear just like this and when my father and I had to go on separate ways she gave it to me, so I wouldn't feel so lonely. And right now when I look at this toy I have a clear memory of Mary telling me that she would be waiting for me and dad..." he kept on speaking. "Pity that it never happened and we were never able to see each other again. The nazi plague was soon over us and our belongings were taken from us. I was sent to an orphanage and my dad... he wasn't that fortunate."

"We... we're sorry to hear that, sir." Andrew spoke, the scene the old man described was still vivid in his memory.

"It was such a long time ago... I just hope Mary had a better destiny..." There was melancholy in his eyes and in his words.

But in Monica's eyes there was shock and amazement, for the story that the old gentleman had just told them she had already heard.

"I'm sorry, sir... what did you say your sister's name was?"

"Mary Stein... We all received our grandparents' names. Isaac, Abraham and Mary. But I'm not sure if she kept her name... I don't even know if she's alive now..."

Andrew noticed that there was emotion on the angel's face but didn't know why. Yet, he observed as she went on asking questions as if trying to solve a puzzle that he himself couldn't understand.

"And this toy... you said it's similar to the one you had as a child..."

He turned his eyes back to the teddy bear and rearranged his glasses. "Y-yes... Actually, it's rather similar, except that this one was repaired. I remember that one of his arms was tore..."

Monica looked at an invisible point ahead of her, now finally aware of the full circle that she had accomplished. Even her little daughter, so innocent and absentmindedly entertained with a lock of her auburn hair, had also been part of it. "Thank You, Father, for guiding my steps and showing me the truth..."

X

On the following afternoon, at the same park...

"Oh, my goodness, it's Isaac!"

The 76-year-old woman's voice was filled with emotion as Monica led her to the old gentleman who had been patiently waiting for them in Andrew's company.

"Mary!" he exclaimed, as he rose to his feet once he saw them approaching.

When the two siblings were face to face, all doubt about their real identity that still could remain was shattered: to confirm what documents had already proved, they started talking about the past and childhood memories and the teddy bear that had played an important part in that series of events was back again at their owners' hands.

"Oh, I prayed so much... I prayed for your safety night after night, Isaac... my brother... Sometimes, I even prayed for your soul..." she said, taking his hand in both of hers.

"Oh, Mary... dear little sister... I thought that our paths would never cross again and all this time I hoped that God had taken care of you, Abraham and mom..."

"Oh, He did... And gave us beautiful families! I spoke to Abraham, he's coming to see you!"

Monica and Andrew exchanged a look of contentment and saw it as the other members of Isaac and Mary's families approached, all of them amazed at the "coincidence" that had brought them together.

"And we have to thank Monica for that... if it wasn't for her, we would have never met!" Mrs Gibson - former Mary Stein, said, looking at her governess with gratitude.

"Please, don't thank me, Mrs Gibson. You and Mr Stein should thank the God you've been praying to for all of your life... Be certain that He heard your prayers and saw your tears."

"And He sent you and your beautiful family to help us meet again, young lady." Isaac spoke, also grateful and surprised that a total stranger could change his life so suddenly and in such a wonderful way.

Monica and Andrew soon bid them goodbye and, hand in hand, left the park back to their temporary apartment - the Irish angel's assignment as a governess was already over, even though they hadn't received the orders to leave yet. So for a while, Monica was planning to spend the free time together with those she loved dearly. One of these angels was standing right next to her and Angela and Tess were waiting for them at their "home."

X

The first sunrays started to shine through the window of an apartment located in a residential area of the Salt Lake City. But what was special about that cosy little building was not its beautiful and antique architecture, or its decoration, seeming to have been taken from a fairy tale, but an apartment's temporary inhabitants. Three angels in human form had been sent to that neighbourhood with assignments to fulfil, and one of them had been accomplished on the night they arrived there - Andrew taking his neighbour to the hospital and the consequent discovery that his illness had been wrongly diagnosed.

It was still early but the blond angel was the first one to wake up. Lying in his bed, he watched as his beloved Monica still slept, comfortably snuggled in his arms. Smiling, he studied the meekness of her Gaelic features, the way her long auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders and spread over his arm. The blond angel also noticed the small freckles she had over her shoulders and gently touched them with his fingertips, as if he was touching fine porcelain. A mischievous smile appeared on his handsome face as he bent down and started to kiss her shoulder, making sure he would capture each freckle with his lips.

And that soothing tickling ended up waking up his beloved Monica, who smiled even if her eyes remained closed.

"What are you doing, Andrew?" she asked in between giggles as he kept on kissing her shoulder.

"Falling in love with you a bit more..." he whispered to her ear, kissing her earlobe and then pushing away a few strands of her long hair so that he could explore more of her perfumed skin.

She felt butterflies in her stomach just by the way he was holding her and by listening to his voice, to his words. "You see..." she was trying to find the right words but the power of his gaze only made her feel more and more infatuated with him. "... I guess I'm falling in love with you a wee bit more right now..." she said, and after a small laughter, Andrew finally captured her lips with a long, languid kiss that he had been waiting to give her since the moment he woke up.

But a sound coming from the other bedroom interrupted that moment and the couple pulled away rather amused. Angela's cries broke the silence of the house, announcing it was time for her breakfast.

"Our wee one has a beautiful voice..." Monica spoke, leaning her forehead against his.

Chuckling, Andrew pecked her lips. "Oh, yeah she does. And judging by her high notes we can tell she's hungry!"

Giggling, she gently disentangled from his loving arms to give attention to the little angel who had just woken up from a peaceful night sleep. Experiencing temporary human life was indeed a unique experience.

X

To be continued


	52. An evening out

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 52: An evening out

With a cute baby girl in her arms, the Irish angel walked around the living room wearing blue jeans, a purple turtle neck sweater and leather shoes. A cold front had arrived on the previous day, making that spring evening a bit chilly. For this reason, little Angela was dressed up with warm clothes herself: lilac sweatpants and funny looking socks, with cute kitties faces on their top. Like Monica, Andrew was also dressed up in blue jeans, black leather shoes and a green T-shirt, and his leather jacket was resting over the sofa. Apart from Angela, one could say they were ready to go out.

The little one was rather entertained and smiled at her mom's out of tune chanting - and it secretly amused her daddy as well, as he kept chuckling at Monica's highest notes.

"What time is it, Andrew?" the Irish angel wanted to know, noticing that he was glancing over his pocket watch.

"Almost seven." There was some slight concern on his face as he answered.

Sighing also with some slight worry, Monica frowned. "Do you think something might have happened to Tess?"

"No, angel, I don't think so. She's just a little late."

Not totally convinced, Monica nodded her head and turned to look at her daughter. "Well, then let's wait for auntie Tess to arrive, right wee Angela?"

A smile was her answer and then she turned her green eyes to Andrew as he came closer. The angel of death caressed her little auburn head and kissed her temple, now making the baby smile at him and melt his heart with another of her captivating smiles. "I'm sure she and auntie Tess will have lots of fun while her mommy and daddy go out on a date! Even if it's an assignment-date!"

Angela's giggle was made them both laugh too. But a second later, Monica and Andrew heard a familiar voice and a presence in the living room turned their attention to their dearest friend.

"Babies..."

"Tess! I was already thinking that something might have happened to you, you were..." The Irish angel stopped talking at the moment she saw the expression on her supervisor's face. Tess was frowning with concern and some annoyance.

"I am in a current assignment, babies, and I came here to let you know that..." she looked at little Angela, who greeted her with the usual sweetness. "'Tie Tess!"

"Oh, little angel girl... don't make this harder than it already is..." she said, with clear sadness in her eyes.

"You won't be able to stay with her, will you?" Andrew anticipated the facts, aware of what the supervisor was about to announce.

"You're right, baby, I won't. I know I promised you that I'd stay with her, but the Father gave me a last minute assignment and I'm supposed to be with two very stubborn people who decided to break up after 30 years of marriage!"

"Oh, Tess, you don't even need to apologize. You'll be there fulfilling the Father's work, and this is the most important." Monica was quick to speak, not wanting her friend to feel guilty.

"I know, but the truth is that I just love spending time with my little angel girl here!" The supervisor stretched her arms and took Angela, who gladly accepted her "auntie's" arms. "Besides, you two were out not just 'on a date,' you'd be fulfilling an assignment too! I don't believe it you were sent to the movie theater without a reason, you see."

"Perhaps there was a change in the plans concerning our going out too, Tess. You know that He always thinks about everything." Andrew spoke, and he and Monica looked at each other feeling sorry for her friend, who she knew loved spending time with the little angel.

"You and wee Angela here will have a lot of time to catch up later, you'll see!"

"Well... yes, I suppose so, angel girl..." Tess replied, and then turned her attention to Angela, "You be a good little angel and have only sweet dreams, okay? Auntie Tess will miss you a lot but you're constantly in her heart!"

With a kiss on the cheek, the oldest angel bid Angela good night and also her friends. Once she was gone, Monica and Andrew looked at each other - their plans for the night were over now.

"Well, angel... We could always watch a movie on TV..." he spoke, kissing her cheek and receiving a smile back.

"Hum... Then it means that I'll replace popcorn for mocha?"

Laughing, he nodded his head.

But before they could say something else, a knock on the door caused the two angels to exchange a questioning look. "Are you waiting for anyone? Is Mrs Reynolds doing alright?" Andrew wanted to know, aware that in the short time they'd been living in that temporary home his talkative "angel girl" had made a lot of friends in that small building.

"Hum... no, I'm not waiting for her, Andrew... Actually, she's doing fine, you know, and I know she'll have a very calm pregnancy!" she spoke, with some enthusiasm and even forgetting about the door.

"So who can it be?"

Andrew had the caution to look through the peep hole and once he saw who was paying them a visit, he chuckled with surprise and amusement. On the following instant, he was opening the door, to reveal Adam and Rafael standing at their doorstep.

"Hey, you two!" the angel of death greeted his friends, and like Monica, happy to see them.

"Hey, buddy, I heard you guys are experiencing some of the married human life!" Adam was the first to enter, shaking hands with his long time partner.

"Well, you can say so!"

"Though it doesn't seem that hard at all, judging by the look on your eyes!" Rafael joked, also shaking hands with Andrew. The recently arrived angels came closer to Monica and Angela, grinning at their dear Irish friend and her little daughter.

"Hey, hello you two beautiful ladies!"

"No wonder Andrew is always smiling whenever I meet him!" they exclaimed.

"Hullo, Adam, Rafael! What a good surprise to see you both!"

"Well, we were working on an assignment close to here, and we've got the rest of the night off, so we've heard that you guys were also near here and decided to pay you a visit!" Adam explained.

"And it's been a long time since we last saw this little angel here!" Rafael gently tickled Angela's belly and he and his friend were greeted with a lovely toothless smile.

"Well, I can say this wee one also missed her 'angel uncles' a lot!"

In between laughter, the Spanish angel stretched his arms. "Could I hold her?"

It didn't take a second before Angela threw herself in her 'uncle Rafael's' arms. "Here she goes!"

Monica and Andrew exchanged an amused glance watching their two friends practically drooling over the little baby girl. They tickled her belly, took her tiny hand and spoke to her as if she could really understand what they were saying - and as a matter of fact, she kind of did. They finally acknowledged their friends' presence again.

"She's really growing up to become a very beautiful little girl - little angel girl, I should say!" Rafael exclaimed, as he passed Angela to Adam's arms.

"Yes, and soon we'll be watching her running around the fields of Heaven!"

It was then that Rafael noticed something different about his two dear friends. "Were you guys going anywhere?" he wanted to know, noticing their clothes.

"Well, we were actually... Tess was going to watch after wee Angela for us because we had an assignment to fulfill ourselves but she had a last minute assignment, you see, and our night out had to be cancelled." The Irish angel explained.

"Which is okay because we had the opportunity to spend the evening with our little one." Andrew added.

"Oh, but then I guess we can help you!" The Spanish angel spoke, and Adam nodded his head.

"Yes, sure we can! Rafael and I could watch over her! We don't have any assignment right now!"

"Oh, no... you two, you should take this time to rest a bit as I know you've been working nonstop..." Monica was sincere in her words, not wanting to bother her friends.

"Monica is right; you guys should use your time to take a break from your duties."

"You're kidding me! Staying with Angela won't be a problem at all!"

"Adam is right. Besides this, we haven't found a place to stay until tomorrow and were told that you two were here!"

The angelic couple looked at each other: perhaps their angelic friends weren't there just by mere coincidence – they knew better than anyone that coincidences didn't exist. And as Tess herself had said, their going out to the movies was a lot more than just a date.

"Oh, Rafael, we would be very happy to have you two here but you don't need to stay with Angela just because of this." Monica was quick to say, she Andrew were genuinely glad to be able to help their friends, as they knew what it was like to be on assignment on Earth and not having safe shelter to rest their human form.

"No, he's right, we can stay with this little one here, it won't be any trouble!" Adam also agreed with his friend. And then he turned to Angela. "I'm sure she'll behave with uncles Adam and Rafael!"

A smile was Angela's reply, and Monica and Andrew looked at each other smiling.

X

"Angel, they'll be fine." Andrew spoke. They were inside Tess' Cadillac and he was driving to the nearest shopping mall.

"I know…" she let out a slight sigh. "Besides, Angela had already had dinner when we left and she will be in bed soon."

The angel of death nodded his head in agreement. "And Adam and Rafael are angels too, our little one couldn't be more protected."

That statement made the Irish angel's smile grow wider. "You're right."

Andrew searched for her hand and took it to his lips "And so far I'm enjoying working with you!"

Monica inched closer and kissed his cheek. "I'm enjoying it too!"

A few minutes later, Andrew arrived at the shopping mall and, hand in hand, the couple headed to the area where the cinemas were. And when they got there, both angels saw a wide range of film options. In a normal situation, this fact wouldn't worry them a lot, but they were there on assignment, and how could they know what to choose without interfering on their mission?

"Andrew…"

The blond angel looked at his beloved valentine and frowned with slight concern. The expression on her face was adorable most of the times, but it could also mean trouble sometimes. There were 20 rooms available, each of them showing a different movie. And picking one, judging by Monica's face, would be difficult.

He ran his hand through his hair. "Well… I guess any movie room we choose will lead us to our assignment…"

"Yes, probably…"

They were in silence for a while, and then both spoke again, at the same time:

"How about a comedy?"

"How about a romance?"

Monica looked at him with slight worry, but Andrew tried to smile. "Kids would say you own me a soda!"

She eyed him even more confused. "A soda?"

Chuckling, he cupped her chin up. "Never mind… Actually, I'd rather you own me a kiss!"

The Irish angel smiled, despite the fact that she remained clueless about Andrew's little joke. But it didn't matter to her as a second later, he brought his lips closer to hers and gave her a small, tender kiss.

"Let's see your romance, angel…" Andrew spoke, still lost in those brown pools.

"Oh, no, it's alright if we watch a comedy, you see. I'm sure I'll enjoy it just the same!" Monica was quick to reply, sheepishly. The Irish angel held his hand in both of hers and tilted her head, eyeing him adorably. "Next time I pick the movie!"

Smiling, Andrew nodded and took her hand to his lips. "I guess some popcorn would be nice too, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes... And, Andrew..."

"What?"

"I wonder if the sell mocha too..."

Chuckling, he bent down and kissed her temple. "Why don't you go and check this out while I buy the tickets then?"

"Okay then, I'll be back soon!"

The blond angel watched as she happily made her way towards the cafeteria, just a corner away. And once she was disappeared amongst the people who were in the large hall, he moved away to look for their tickets. There was a short queue there and while Andrew waited, he looked around him – the angel of God smiled glad to see his Father's children were happy and enjoying one another's company without wars or any other kind of disputes. And he wished, for the centuries to come, that this was the normal behaviour of human beings.

But sudden voices took him out of his reverie and he turned his head to see that the couple behind him was starting a fight.

"I told you I hate these kinds of movies, Alan! We could have gone to a restaurant or stayed home instead!" the young lady spoke, and she had an angry tone in her voice.

"Well, you know what? I'm tired of you telling me what to do, Jennifer! You don't wanna see this movie ? Well, fine with me! You're free to go, no one is forcing you to see anything!"

The woman looked at him slightly shocked by his last words. "You're telling me you're leaving me here?"

"I'm telling you, Jenni, that right now you're not the company I'm looking for and we should split up before things start to get serious..."

"I can't believe it I'm hearing this from you... not from you..."

The young man ran his fingers through is dark hair and let out a sigh with frustration and a bit of impatience. But before he could say something else, they both heard a third voice interrupting their argument.

"Erm... excuse me..."

Andrew was a bit unsure of what to say of even if he should interfere, but something deep inside told him that it was the best to do. "I couldn't help overhearing..."

The couple lowered their heads, embarrassed and not really in the mood to have someone to scold them about their personal matters; Andrew, however, went on speaking, suddenly feeling he had the right words to tell them.

"Has it ever occurred you that something so little such as an argument about which movie to see might ruin what could become an entire family?"

X

Meanwhile...

"What will it be?"

The café attendant didn't even look at Monica when she asked what the Irish angel wanted for a drink, but her coldness didn't affect the eager costumer. "Oh, I'd like a large double mocha latte, please, and a large cup of chocolate..."

The woman, who appeared to be in her late thirties, looked at her with a questioning face, but Monica was quick to speak again. "The mocha is for me, but Andrew, my husband, he's not very fond of it I'm afraid."

"I see... Well, we don't have chocolate."

Monica frowned in a way that would certainly endear her beloved Andrew. "Oh... I suppose this might be a problem then. I wonder if you perhaps have some ginger ale, please?"

"Coffee, straight and simple, that's what we got at the moment. Now what will it be? I don't have all night long."

Only then did Monica realise the woman's distress, and a second look right through her tired dark eyes was enough for the sensitive little angel notice that there was much sadness in that apparent bad humoured expression.

"I can see you're alone here..."

"Yeah, you're a real genius, sweetie. Now, as you can see I got plenty of work to do, so what will it be?"

Monica looked towards the queues and saw that they were long so Andrew would probably take a while to buy their tickets. Then, she looked back at the grumpy woman and crossed the counter. "What are you doing?"

"I think I haven't decided yet and while I do it, I will give you a little help!"

The woman kept on staring at Monica with a confused look in her eyes. "I don't get it..."

"In ten minutes, everyone will go to their respective cinema rooms and things will be calmer here, but while it doesn't happen, let me write down the orders."

Even though the woman didn't understand why the young lady was doing it – offering help when she was supposed to be having fun out there, she had no choice but to accept it.

X

"She was here just a second ago! How can she just disappear, Adam?!"

"Yeah, I saw her but she disappeared when I went to the kitchen!"

Rafael's and Adam's worried voice and the way they searched in every corner of the small apartment didn't leave room for doubt: Angela was nowhere to be seen.

"Did you look in the bedroom? She might have crawled up to her room to look for a toy..." The angel of death suggested, running his hand through his hair.

"No, she's not there! Angela! Hey, sweetie, where are you?!" the Spanish angel called, he and his friend on the brink of despair.

But it was then that they heard a small baby giggle, and looked at each other with haunted eyes. "Did you hear this, Adam?"

"You bet I did!"

They scanned the living room trying to figure out where it had come from. "I think it came from behind the sofa..."

When they heard that sound for a second time, Adam shook his head. "She's playing with us!"

"Playing?! Well, I say this is not funny at all!"

"That's not what she's thinking, buddy!"

The two angels immediately searched behind the couch, in an attempt to find the little girl, but found nothing.

"How can such a little creature just disappear like that?!" Rafael was even more nervous with Angela's naughty tricks.

"She's an angel, that's how!" his friend said, and they looked around them, thinking about where that adorable angel could be hiding.

X

"I... I don't know what to say..."

"And I guess I never saw things this way..."

The couple that was having the beginning of a fight right behind Andrew in the queue for the movie theatre was now staring at the ground, without knowing what to say after the words they had just heard from the angel in human form.

"I guess an apology would be nice." He replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest and aware that the people in the queue had already entered the movie theatre.

The young man turned his eyes to his girlfriend and she could see genuine regret written on them. And truth to be told, Jennifer had to admit that she had been difficult to deal with lately – the loss of her job and the lack of money made her wonder if she had made the right decision to marry him even being so young.

"Jenni... please don't take my words to your heart... I... I didn't really mean them." He finally said, after a long sigh.

"I... don't blame you... I haven't been such a nice person myself."

Andrew checked his pocket watch and was a little worried about Monica, wondering if her poor sense of direction had led her to another part of the shopping mall. But he knew that she too was probably working on an assignment and their strong connection told him she was alright. He turned to look at the couple again, sensing that his little mission was over.

"Look, I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh but sometimes it seems that young people can't bear anything less than happiness. Life will always test you guys, and you can't just give up on everything you have because you're not willing to let go of things that, in the end, shouldn't have any importance."

Alan held his young wife's hand and, even though still embarrassed, he smiled. "Well, Andrew, we've only known you for ten minutes but we already feel we shouldn't disobey you!"

"Alan is right... I suppose we should thank you for scolding us."

"You don't have to thank me."

They smiled and Alan squeezed Jennifer's hand. "And Jenni... There's a place I'd like to take you rather than the movies..."

She looked at him with questioning eyes. "Where?"

"The restaurant where we first met..."

He could see how her eyes were immediately filled with tears of emotion. "Really?"

"Yes..."

With a pleased expression on his face, Andrew watched as the young couple left the movie theatre, and nodded with satisfaction. An assignment had just been accomplished. Now it was his Monica he had to wait for – and a message right to his heart sent by his loving Father told him he should wait for her exactly where he was.

X

"Cups in their right place, cupboard clean, and mocha beans inside the appropriate machine!"

The "temporary café attendant" happily announced, looking at a still confused Robyn Gibbs. "Actually, if you ask me, those mocha machines are one of the cleverest inventions in the last hundred years!" Monica exclaimed. "Even though when I'm at home I prefer to use those pretty teapots of the eighteenth century; the flavour is a wee bit different you know..."

Frowning even though she was in a better mood, the woman placed a dish towel over the counter and stared at her. "Who are you after all, Monica?"

"Well... a coffee fan, in between other things!" She said, winking at the woman. Then, realising that the customers had finally left, the Irish angel picked the mocha cup she had paid for. "And I guess your work has finished here, right? Now you can go home and stay with your son, he'll love to see his mommy coming back home earlier!"

Quickly, before that woman made any more questions, she walked away, but could still hear her voice. "Hey... Thank you!"

The Irish angel walked fast along the now empty corridors wondering if the film she and Andrew would see had already started. It didn't take her too long to find her beloved angel sitting on a bench and waiting for her. And when he saw Monica approaching, the angel of death rose to his feet with a slight smile.

"I'm so sorry, Andrew... I... I was..."

"Let me guess: you found your assignment?"

She bit her lower lip sheepishly. "Yes... Can you believe it she works exactly at the coffee shop?"

Laughing and with his heart filled with tenderness, Andrew placed a strand of her behind her ear. "Well, the Father has always a perfect plan! And let me guess again: besides helping her out, you got yourself a small gift?"

She looked at her cup of coffee and then back at him with slight disappointment. "Oh, I'm sorry but there wasn't hot chocolate there, you see..."

"Oh no? And what about this coffee of yours?" he was pretending to be a little mad, but she didn't notice it at first.

"The coffee? But I thought you wouldn't like to have it..." was her worried reply.

"I do, angel!"

Only then, a playful smile returned to his face and he cupped her chin up and brought his lips to hers, in a soft kiss that made him feel the sweet flavour of coffee mixed with her perfume.

X

"I found her!" Rafael announced, with relief written all over his face.

Adam rushed towards Angela's room and found the little angel standing behind an armchair next to her crib, holding onto her small stuffed frog. And when the two found her, she gave another funny giggle, smiled at them and let go of her little toy to clap her hands.

"I'll tell you, little angel, life with you is anything but monotonous!" Adam spoke, crossing his arms in front of his chest and looking at her with mock annoyance.

"And I bet she thinks the same thing about us, Adam... After all, we've entertained her all night long!" Rafael took Angela in his arms and she shot them one of those smiles that would melt even the hardest of the hearts. It was far too clear that she had become very fond of the two during that evening, despite the mess and all the worry she had caused.

"Yeah, but now the fun is over cause it's high time little angels were in bed!" The angel of death stated firmly, as if she could really understand his command.

X

Andrew opened the apartment door slowly and allowed Monica to enter first. And what they saw made them feel sorry: Adam was lying on the bigger couch; Rafael on the smaller one. Both of them were fast asleep and once could see there were traces of exhaustion on their faces.

"Oh, poor them, Andrew..." Monica said, approaching Rafael slowly, careful not to make any noise.

"Yeah, they look really tired!" The blond angel chuckled with some amusement with such a rare scene.

"I'll go check on Angela..."

Monica headed to the baby's room and quietly opened the door: there was soft light coming from the lamp near the window, creating a cosy atmosphere. Smiling with tenderness, she approached the bed to see little Angela sleeping quietly in her crib, covered by a warm blanket and surrounded by her favourite little toys.

"Ah, wee Angela... my precious little angel..." she whispered, gently caressing her daughter's soft hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't put you to bed tonight, but I wish you only good dreams, sweetheart..." Monica bent down to lay a gentle kiss on the baby's temple, and then she felt Andrew's hands over her shoulders.

"Seems like a certain little angel is having a peaceful night sleep!"

The Irish angel turned to him and her smile grew wider. "Look at her face... Serene, calm... and with a slight smile on the corner of her lips... Exactly like her daddy's!"

Chuckling, Andrew wrapped his arm around her waist from behind and spoke very close to her ear. "Well, she has a lot of reasons to sleep with a smile on the corner of her lips!" he said, and kissed her cheek, "And so is her daddy!"

Monica stifled a small giggle at his words, and the two stood there for a couple of minutes. The wind blowing outside reminded her of something. "Talking about sleep, let me take a blanket for Adam and Rafael, they might feel cold."

She gently disentangled from his loving embrace and went to look for two warm quilts for their angelic friends. Andrew stood by Angela's crib for some more time, admiring their little one and offering a silent prayer for her and for the beautiful family he was granted with.

Monica returned to the living room and covered them with a warm blanket. "Father, thank You for sending Your two angels to watch over Angela... and thank you for the chance to give them a safe shelter while they're here on Earth." She prayed in a low voice, and then left the room towards her bedroom.

X

Later on that same night...

"I can hear you thinking..."

Using Andrew's chest as a pillow and now wearing a comfortable flannel pair of pyjamas, Monica stared at an invisible point ahead of her while his fingers caressed her auburn hair. But the sound of his voice brought her back to reality and she turned her head to look up at him.

"I was thinking, you know..."

"About?" He always found it endearing the way she elaborated her thoughts before voicing them to him.

She propped up her chin on her two hands, folded on the top of his chest. "... Your assignment was to teach a young couple about selflessness and the importance of being together... Tess' assignment was to stop an old couple to break up... Adam and Rafael's was to stay here and watch over wee Angela..."

"Yes..."

"I wonder about Robyn... I helped her at the café but it seemed so little to do for her... You see, she had something in her eyes... exhaustion and some sadness..."

Thinking about what to say, Andrew placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "As angels we know that smallest actions can huge consequences... Maybe your small action helping her showed this woman that there are good people in the world. Maybe you managed to touch her heart someway..."

"Hum... well, that might be true as she was a wee bit grumpy when we first spoke."

"Or maybe, your helping her could also allow her to get home and be with her son, you said she has a son, right?"

A smile appeared on her lips and her eyes shone with joy as she imagined the eight-year-old little boy greeting his mother. "Oh, yes, you are right! And I can also imagine how happy she will be to hold him tight after a tough working day!"

Also smiling, Andrew kissed her forehead and tightened the hold around her. "Well, she had a very charming helper!" He pulled her closer a bit more and now and kissed her lips softly at the same time he caressed her cheek.

"Well, it was nice to think that there was a charming 'councillor' waiting for me!" she spoke, playfully rubbing her nose against his. Wrapped up in each other's embrace, the angels in human form fell asleep to the promise of eternal love and thanking their Heavenly Father for such a blessed day.

X

On the following day...

"Monica... Angel?"

Confused, the Irish angel opened her eyes for the first time and saw Andrew's face on that Saturday morning. "Andrew?"

"Are you fully awake?" he wanted to know, bending his head and chuckling at the expression on her face.

He helped her to sit down in bed as she spoke again. "I think so... What... what is it?"

"Tess bought the newspaper this morning and I thought you'd like to see what's on the first page..."

Still very confused, she took the newspaper in her hands and in a blink of an eye, Monica was in full alertness due to what she saw: the headlines were announcing that a mother had managed to save her eight-year-old son from a fire in her apartment on the previous night. They also said that if she had arrived a little bit later, the boy would have died because he was asleep when the flames started and didn't know where the keys were.

"This is your answer, angel." Andrew spoke, sitting next to Monica and wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes... And you were right about God's smallest actions, Andrew... You were perfectly right." She said, resting her head against his chest; joy and gratitude all over her face as a white dove flew by the window in the beginning of a sunny spring day.

X

To be continued.


	53. A special dinner

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 53: A special dinner

The gentle morning sunrays shone through the windows in the living room and made their way up to the fluffy carpet spread on the center of the room. A small stuffed turtle was lying over the caramel rug but a pair of chubby little hands soon grabbed the toy and placed it together with a pretty ladybird. Next to them, there was a smiling caterpillar and a very friendly little frog. A baby's small giggle filled the silent living room, and anyone who saw the sparkle in the little girl's green eyes and her joyful smile would certainly be enchanted with so much beauty and innocence. Little Angela was sitting on the white rug and had been playing with her favourite toys all by herself for the last couple of minutes, but she could hear her parents' voice coming from the kitchen, just a few steps away from her.

But seconds later, while the angel was still contemplating how she had organised her little friends, a loud laughter reached her ears and on the following instant she saw with eyes wide open in curiosity and amusement as her mommy left the kitchen in a rush and still laughing out loud with her equally laughing daddy running right after her.

"You need to learn it's not nice to put pepper inside someone else's sandwich, 'mrs'!" Andrew spoke, and the tone of voice, as well as the expression on his face, were a mock angry one. Monica let out an excited squeal when he grabbed her by the waist and gently knocked her on the sofa, where he tickled her unmercifully.

"Oh!.... Andrew!... You... You shouldn't!... This... this is too ticklish!" she pleaded, barely able to speak as her eyes were soon filled with tears for so much laughing. "S-Stop... please! Stop!"

"Well, I got the pepper you got the tickling, angel!" The blond angel kept on with his sweet punishment plan and all that excitement ended up having a funnier effect: Angela watched her parents and started giggling too, clapping her little hands together as if saying that she was enjoying the "show."

And at that exact moment, another angel materialised herself in the living room, with her back turned from the sofa.

"Oh, please tell me I didn't get here at the wrong time!" Tess spoke, covering her eyes and still hearing Monica and Andrew's excited cries.

He stopped tickling his beloved angel girl and they exchanged an amused glance at the supervisor's words. But before they could say something else, a sweet sound made the oldest angel uncover her eyes and smile.

"-tie Tess!"

"Oh, my sweet little angel girl! Come here with auntie Tess!" she stooped down to pick Angela in her arms. "Hello, baby, how is my cute angel baby doing, huh?" The smile on the baby girl's face melted her heart, as Andrew helped Monica up from the sofa.

"She's always excited to receive auntie Tess' visit, you know?" The Irish angel spoke, she and Andrew standing side by side with their dear friend.

Tess turned to each of them but now with a stern look on her face instead of a smile. "Well, it's good to have contact with more composted angels who manage to keep a firm, serious attitude while on assignment on Earth!"

The way she spoke nearly made them start laughing again, but they unsuccessfully managed to keep a straight face. "Well, our wee one is going to spend the entire day with you, and I think there isn't a better angel in all realm to teach her!"

"Not to mention that today especially she'll have contact with the elders! Imagine the amount of precious teachings she'll receive!"

The supervisor nodded her head at hearing their words. "Exactly!" And then she turned to the little one, who kept on eyeing the three grown up angels with curiosity and some amusement. "Clara, Dottie, Ruth... They'll all be envious that I'm in charge of educating our Father's special little angel here! And we'll have a terrific time, baby, auntie Tess promises you!"

Monica and Andrew exchanged another amused glance and watched as the toys on the carpet were now inside the big bag that had magically appeared on Tess' shoulder.

The Irish angel gave a step forward and tenderly cupped Angela's face with both hands. "Oh, wee Angela... I hope you have fun with auntie Tess and the others!" She kissed her daughter's rosy cheeks and rubbed the tip of her nose with hers, causing the baby to giggle again. "God bless you, sweetheart!"

When she stepped away, it was Andrew who caressed Angela's soft auburn hair with his hand. "Mommy and daddy will be right here waiting for you, my little angel!" He kissed the top of her head and, smiling at her own smile, he added. "Take good care of auntie Tess and the others!"

The oldest angel frowned at that comment and gave him another stern look. "Well, I think her parents could learn from her about not making a mess in their earthly homes!

Laughing, the blond angel inched closer and kissed the supervisor's cheek. "We love you too, Tess!"

"Andrew is right," Monica spoke, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders. "and you can tell the others that you are Angela's grandma!"

That remark was enough to make Tess' heart soften and send away her usual grouchiness. "I love you two very much, babies." She said, eying them with tenderness and a motherly look.

They bid each other farewell and on the following second, supervisor and angel baby had disappeared. It was then that Andrew wrapped his arm around Monica's shoulders and brought her closer for a loving embrace, which she returned with the same affection. "When do you have to leave?" She asked, aware that on that day their small temporary home would take a bigger dimension as she would be all alone there.

"I'm afraid right now, angel..." he kissed her temple.

Monica rested her head against his chest for a few moments, sighing deeply as she heard his steady heartbeats. "I confess that I'm enjoying staying on Earth and experiencing a wee bit more of human beings' way of life... but I miss you already..."

Andrew nodded his head. "I feel the same thing, baby. But this assignment is almost at the end and I believe it'll be a happy ending." He pulled away and gently grabbed her face with both hands. "And I'll be back for you in the evening!"

A slight smile graced her face and she leaned on his touch. "It'll be the happiest time of the day."

She was looking at him with so much tenderness and so much love that he wished time would freeze so that that moment lasted for as much as they could enjoy it. Andrew crossed the small distance between them and a captured her lips with a sweet and tender kiss, which lasted for a small eternity. Her arms were soon wrapped around his neck, while his hands entangled in her long auburn hair and settled on the back of her neck, so he could deepen the kiss a bit more. Smaller kisses, just as sweet as the first one, followed and then Monica threw herself in his arms.

"I'll be waiting for you like a good human wife should be!" She spoke, with a slight smile, causing him to chuckle.

"As much as I love fulfilling the Father's work, I can't wait to be back home to beautiful wife!" He kissed the top of her head, and then pulled away to look inside her sparkling brown eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too!"

Andrew captured her lips once again and during that loving kiss, Andrew's form changed from human to angelic and faded slowly. A second later, Monica was alone in their living room. Without opening her eyes, she placed her hand against her mouth and smiled, still enjoying the feeling of the blond angel's lips on hers. "Oh, Andrew... my sweet Andrew..." she let out a small sigh, still thinking of his loving touch, when suddenly an idea crossed her mind. When Monica opened her eyes again, they were beaming and a broad smile now graced her face.

"You're going to have a surprise when you come back!" She exclaimed, and left to the kitchen singing an out of tune Irish song.

X

It was past 5 o'clock when Monica put the last ingredient inside a big casserole: a portion of mushrooms, and watched as it merged inside the pan, together with the other components that would later become the main dish of a romantic dinner. As soon as she had the idea to cook something special for Andrew, the Irish angel rushed to the nearest supermarket to buy all the necessary material for that. When she arrived, Monica placed the ingredients over the small board in the kitchen and first she started to prepare the decoration.

She swept the small dining room and changed the dishcloth to a more beautiful one: white laced, with lovely patterns on its board. The dishes and the cutlery were neatly arranged and two elegant candles would be lit along with the soft light coming from a nearby lamp. Then, it was time to select her clothes: nothing too sophisticated, after all they were in their temporary home. But Monica knew how much Andrew enjoyed her wearing delicate and beautiful dresses, and as it was a warm night, she decided to pick a sleeveless model, with a v-neck that would allow the small gold angel pendant on her necklace to glow over her fair complexion.

Monica also decided to change the curtains, sheets and pillows in their bedroom, and ended up changing the ones in Angela's room too, despite the fact that the little girl would spend the night with Tess and would only be back on the following morning. Pleased with her accomplishments, she had a quick lunch and finally started to work on their lunch, using a recipe that she had seen in the newspaper the other day. The Irish angel decided to keep it with her and put it into practice in the future. That was the great opportunity.

Always singing, she peeled the potatoes and the onions, and sliced them – not aware to the fact that some slices were visibly bigger than others. Then, she placed them in a huge casserole with boiling water together with the portobella mushrooms that were already there. Then, she turned her attention to the chicken breasts that were ready to go into the oven. But re-reading the recipe, the angel frowned with slight concern over a small detail: "salt, pepper and paprika to the taste."

She bit her lip and considered the fact that, contrary to her, Andrew wasn't very keen on spicy foods. A tea spoon of each condiment would do, and if it was necessary, she could add some more later on. The next step was to pre-heat the oven to cook the chicken and, not knowing for how long it should be done, she decided to leave it on for 15 minutes, not to run the risk of them getting raw food.

Then, she placed the tray filled with butter and the chicken breasts inside it, and as the other ingredients would also take some time to cook, she decided to go and take a shower in this meantime.

x

20 minutes later...

When Andrew left the elevator, he had the slight sensation to smell something burning in the corridor. He frowned with concern: it'd been a long time since cooking attempts without his presence had happened whenever he and his sweet Monica were on Earth, and he wondered if they had any neighbour with the same "culinary abilities." But when the blond angel opened the apartment door, he soon realised that no neighbour could have started a fire in his own kitchen.

"Monica!" he shouted, rushing to the kitchen as he saw the back smoke coming out of the door. Relief filled his heart as he saw she wasn't there, despite the fact that everything indicated that she was the author of that disaster: a casserole over the stove now held burned potatoes, mushrooms and onions. And their stove held black chicken breasts. He quickly turned off the fire and grabbed a silicon glove to take the pan and throw in the sink, opening the faucet a second later. Then, Andrew also turned off the oven fire and opened it up: the smell of burned food became stronger and thinking about what would have happened if he hadn't arrived, he called the Irish angel once again. "Monica!"

"Andrew?"

Since she had entered the bedroom, Monica had been singing and at the moment she heard Andrew's urgent voice, she had her hair filled with shampoo. Quickly, she washed it off and, wrapping herself with a towel, she came out of the bathroom dripping wet and walked up to the kitchen. It took her a split second to find out what had happened – again.

"Andrew..." she said, and then looked at work all ruined over the sink. "My dinner..."

"Angel, what happened here?" He wanted to know, although he could imagine the latest events.

She kept staring at the devastation scenery with a miserable look in her eyes. "I... I don't know! I was preparing us a special dinner but... but..." It nearly broke his heart when he saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes at any moment. "I promise I followed all the instructions! I promise, Andrew!"

With patience, he gently placed his hands over her wet shoulders. "Yes... I know... Please, calm down, angel. I know you didn't meant it." He himself was calmer now that nothing bad had happened to Monica.

"I didn't! Can't I manage to cook things right all by myself at least once in all these centuries, Andrew?"

He had to struggle not to laugh at her words. "Oh, angel... I guess you didn't have much opportunity to do it..." he started, but his words died in his mouth when he saw her crying face.

"And when I do I get everything wrong..." she said, and left the kitchen towards their bedroom.

Andrew ran a hand over his blond hair and let out a sigh. Hadn't he arrived at the right time, his sweet valentine would have probably gotten hurt trying to fix the mess she had accidentally caused. He was going after her when a sudden knock on the door made him take a different direction.

"Yes, Mrs Madigan?" He opened up the door and saw the friendly old lady that lived in the apartment opposite to theirs.

"I'm sorry to bother, Andrew, but I wonder if there is something burning in there..." She said, trying to look over his shoulder as to get a better idea of what had happened. "I came to see if everything is alright with Monica and little Angela..."

"Oh, yes, everything is fine. You see... Angela isn't here today and... Monica and I had a little problem in the kitchen but we've managed to solve it..."

"Ah, I see... A 'little problem' in the kitchen!" the old woman exclaimed, and with a smile, she lowered her voice. "Young man, take my advice: let the ladies do the cooking! I'm sure you had all the good intentions in this world, but Monica is the one who should be in charge of the meals! Men... well, they should take care of things like fixing and repairing... But not the kitchen... Leave it to the girls!"

The blond angel raised his eyebrows, not believing what he was listening and at the same time finding that situation rather funny. "Okay... I'll take that in mind, Mrs Madigan. Now if you excuse me, I still have to fix things here..."

"Oh, yes, of course! You're such a good husband! No wonder you raised up such a beautiful family!"

"Thanks, Mrs Madigan!" he smiled, "Have a good night!"

"Good night, son. Oh, and please tell Monica that tomorrow is my grandson's birthday and we'll have a small cake for him at 7! You're all invited!"

"Thanks a lot!"

As the old woman went away, he closed the door behind him, still chuckling at that situation. Andrew found Monica in their bedroom, still with the towel wrapped up around her body. The wardrobe door was open and she was searching for her usual "home" clothes while the dress she had especially selected to wear that night was still over the bed.

"Angel..."

"I bet the neighbours already know that I shouldn't be left alone in the kitchen..." she said, with an adorable pout that nearly made Andrew laugh. But he knew better. Andrew walked up to his beautiful angel and gently lay both hands over her bare shoulders. "Baby, it's okay..."

"It's not..." She let out a sigh and gave up looking for her clothes. "Why can't I learn something so simple, Andrew? All I wanted was to prepare you something special, a special dinner, but I couldn't and because of my inability to cook, and I cannot believe that during my entire existence I wasn't able to do it!"

"Oh, Monica... Please, come here..." He closed the wardrobe door and gently made her sit at the edge of their bed. Then, he took a seat next to her and kissed her cheek. "Angel, I understand you're upset."

"I am!"

"But I'm also thankful that you're not hurt, and this could have happened."

She bit her lower lip and finally gave in to his embrace, leaning against his side and resting her head over his shoulder. "I suppose you are right..."

"As for the dinner you were preparing, I know you made it with all your heart, baby, and this is what matters. What is more, it's alright with me if we eat homemade food, a sophisticated dish or a sandwich at a small café by the road." He cupped her chin up and made her look at him: she was so pretty with the wet hair framing her lovely Gaelic features that he couldn't resist and placed a small tender kiss against her lips. Then, he stroked her cheek and kept on talking. "What matters, angel, is that you'd be with me. How many times have we gone through separate ways since the day we've met? All I could think of then, and all I can think of when we are apart now is the moment we're together again."

"I understand... I miss you so much when you're away..." she said, feeling her sadness fading away as he wrapped his arms around her small shoulders.

"So you know how grateful I am with the opportunity to stay here on Earth with you and Angela. Nothing in this world would make me feel more blessed."

Monica's eyes were looking at an invisible point on the floor as she spoke again. "Every day I say a prayer of thanks for having you with us, Andrew... But... Well... I'm still sorry my special dinner didn't work..." She gazed up at him again and he could see that she was still a little frustrated, but her irritation at her own self was over. "I even picked a new dress for the occasion..."

Still serious, Andrew cleared his throat and looked down at her. "Angel... That dress wouldn't have the same effect that this towel is having right now..."

That comment finally brought an amused smile back to her lips and she raised her eyebrows slightly blushed. "Andrew!" She exclaimed, her Irish lilt was like music to his ears.

His lips curved in a crooked smile. "You look absolutely stunning in it!"

Monica was going to say something, but the words died in her mouth and her smile grew wider. "I love you so much!" Her hand caressing his cheek, her sweet perfume and the tenderness in her eyes nearly undid him, and a split second later, Andrew gathered her in his arms and captured her lips in a loving, languid kiss which she welcomed with the same intensity, the same joy and the same love.

He moved one of his hands to the back of her neck, his fingers entangling in her wet hair and holding her head more firmly as he deepened their kiss. Monica let out a small sigh, allowing his strong arm to encircle her waist and hold her tightly against his strong chest.

"I hadn't planned things this way..." she whispered, as when air became an issue Andrew pulled away and started to place a trail of tiny kisses against her jaw and neck.

"We can order something..." he said, and both spoke at the same time then. "Later!"

"Please tell me Tess won't get here at the wrong time..." he murmured in reply, before kissing her lips once again, stifling her giggle.

x

To be continued


	54. The memory of you

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 54: You'll be in my heart

The spring night had fallen upon Earth as gently as the soft breeze that was blowing through the window, waving the beige curtains that hung on the apartment windows and calling Monica's attention. The Irish angel was lying in bed watching the few stars that twinkled up above and sighed. She had been living in that small apartment for nearly three months, in order to fulfil a series of assignments in that neighbourhood. But for her it was more than just a regular duty: it was an opportunity to spend more time next to the ones she loved most – her beloved Andrew, wee Angela, their cute little daughter, and Tess, the mother that God had chosen to be by their side along the centuries. There they experienced a bit more of the human life while helping those who crossed their way, and were thankful for those beautiful days.

But the following day would put an end to those days as was time to leave that temporary home and go separate ways, fulfilling the Father's mission wherever they were sent all over the world. This chore had always filled their hearts with joy and honour, despite the fact that being away also proved to be a great sacrifice.

A small noise at the bedroom door took Monica out of her reverie and she turned her eyes from the window to look at her eternal valentine. "I left everything ready for breakfast tomorrow, angel." He said, as he climbed in bed and settled next to her. She was quick to snuggle against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not sure when I'll be called but if it's before you wake up, you can-"

"Please, wake me up..." she suddenly interrupted, looking at him with evident sadness in those sweet brown eyes that Andrew loved so much to gaze at.

"Okay..." he removed a stray piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You know we'll be together soon."

The blond angel felt her tightening the hold around his torso. "I do, but it's never easy to wait for that day..."

He too was feeling sorry for those days coming to an end, but he had a feeling that their loving Father wouldn't put them apart for a long time, and specially on that day, Andrew refused to see his dear Monica so sad. Trying to cheer her up, he smiled mischievously and bent down to search for her eyes. "Well, I guess that we'll have to hold on to the good memories in this meantime!"

He was happy to see a slight smile playing on her lips. "And we had so many wonderful moments while we were here..."

The blond angel cupped her chin up and kissed her lips softly before he spoke again. "We could have some more until the morning comes, you see..."

She let out a small giggle as he kept on brushing tiny kisses against her lips. "It sounds like a lovely plan..."

Andrew pressed his lips more firmly against hers and they started a long, loving kiss; his fingers gently caressing the back of her head, entangled in her long auburn tresses as she touched his jaw with her fingertips, caressing his handsome face with feather-light touch.

But a sweet sound interrupted that equally sweet moment and they pulled away at the same moment they heard Angela's crying voice coming from the other room.

"I go..." the Irish angel spoke, disentangling from his loving embrace, she and Andrew chuckling and finding that situation rather funny.

"This little angel has a perfect timing!" he joked, still listening to Monica's giggles as she left the bedroom.

There was soft light coming from the lamp next to Angela's crib, and in her mother's presence, the baby's crying subsided a little, even though she continued to whimper.

"Hey, sweetheart, what is wrong with you, huh?" Monica spoke softly, tenderly caressing the little angel's soft hair.

Usually, when Angela cried at night it was for something simple like wet diapers or because she felt a bit cold. But her sad little face and the way she was looking at her mother somewhat told Monica that there was more to it. Gently, she lifted Angela in her arms and kissed the baby's head. "Oh, wee Angela... I guess I know why you are so sad, sweetheart..." she said, holding the little angel close to her chest.

Angela had inherited the bond that her parents shared and it was easy for Monica to know how the sweet little heavenly being was feeling with Andrew's departure on the following day. The Irish angel knew that soon she too would have to say goodbye to Angela and let Tess watch over her while she was somewhere fulfilling the Father's work.

"I miss him already too..." she whispered to a very unsettled baby girl who kept on whimpering in her arms.

Some minutes later, Monica gave up putting Angela back to her bed and had no alternative but to take her to the other room. A worried Andrew was already leaving bed and going to see what was going on when Monica reappeared taking their crying baby in her arms.

"Here is your daddy, wee one! We're all together now..." she kissed the baby's check and passed her to Andrew, who was equally sorry to see such a sad little face.

"Hey, my little angel! There's no need to cry, sweetie, daddy is here..." he said, and once Angela was settled against her father's strong chest, the whimpering subsided little by little and she seemed to finally calm down.

"I think she was missing her daddy..." Monica spoke, sitting next to him at the edge of the bed.

"She's still so agitated..." he said, caressing Angela's soft hair. "I can feel it..."

The Irish angel touched the baby's tiny hand. "Yes... Amazing how this little angel of God is already so sensitive..."

Smiling tenderly, he turned to look at her, both keeping their voices low. "I know where she got it from!"

Also smiling, the Irish angel inched closer and kissed his cheek. Then she rested her head over his shoulder looking at their little daughter, who was finally peacefully sleeping in his arms. "I'm under the impression that we'll have a guest tonight..."

Andrew chuckled at that remark. "Well... I'm glad we still have this morning memories to hold on to, when this little angel was fast asleep like a little angel should be!"

Laughing, they moved to their bed again, but now with a precious cargo cuddled in between them.

X

The first sunrays crossed the window and its beige curtains inside Monica and Andrew's bedroom, gently touching the wooden floor and announcing that a new day was about to start. But long before it, the blond angel's green eyes had been open and focused on his two most precious blessings. Monica and Angela were fast asleep right next to him, and he chuckled at the hint of a smile on their faces. In all his Father's wonderful creations, Andrew had never seen so much beauty and none of them had filled his heart with so much tenderness as the two angels lying next to him.

Carefully not to wake her up, he straightened the blanket over Angela's small form. It had been a difficult night as even after she was set to sleep in between her parents, the baby whimpered a few times in her sleep. He wondered if it could be because she had been on Earth for too many days, and even hoped the little angel could come back to her heavenly Home soon. But he also wondered if it was because she was already feeling his absence, and this thought saddened him a bit more.

Low and soft words came out of Monica's lips, making him chuckle. "Double mocha latte, Andrew..."

He reached out and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "As you wish, my angel..." he whispered back, and silently climbed off their bed.

An hour later, with breakfast ready and on the table waiting for the angels, Andrew returned to the bedroom. But now he was wearing the beige suit typical of his duty as an angel of death. And as much as Monica had asked, he didn't have the courage to wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, so serene that interrupting it just to see in her soft brown eyes a reflex of the same sorrow that could be seen in his green ones was not fair. Andrew sat at the edge of their bed and with sadness, he contemplated the two for some long minutes.

First he watched his baby daughter. Angela's soft hair was still short, but combed to the side, and Andrew touched the auburn strands so gently that the little girl remained still, as if even unconsciously, she could fee his loving presence.

"Oh, my sweet little angel... Daddy has to leave for a while but he'll be thinking of you, always." He whispered, chuckling as she suddenly reached out and rubbed her tiny nose with her chubby hand. He bent down and kissed Angela's rosy cheek, and then whispered in her ear. "I love you, my little one..."

He pulled away and placed "Mr Frog," one of Angela's small toys, close to her. Then, he turned to look at his beautiful soul mate, who was sleeping just as peacefully as their baby. "I'm so sorry, angel, but I'll let you sleep... You look so serene... so beautiful..." He smiled, "But then again, you always do..."

Gently, and very carefully not to wake her up, Andrew caressed her auburn hair, contemplating her beautiful Gaelic features just a bit more, for as long as he could. Then, he finally bent his head and touched her lips with his, so softly and with so much tenderness that the moment would be now a part of her sweetest dreams.

That was his last moment with Angela and Monica. As he rose to his feet and stood gazing at them, his human form gave place to his angelic one, and moments later, it started to fade away. Soon, there were only mother and daughter inside the room.

X

Monica's eyes flickered open and were still glassy with sleep, but the smile playing on her lips and the soft giggling had a concrete reason. Angela's chubby little hand was touching her face and caressing her long hair, and the little girl's cute smile – making her tiny dimples appear, filled her mother's heart with tenderness and much love.

The Irish angel reached out and caressed Angela's soft hair and playfully touched the tip of her nose. "Hullo, wee one, good morning to you too, sweetheart!" She raised her eyebrows at the realisation that the baby's little friend had also been placed next to her. "Oh, and look who's here! It's Mr Frog!" she exclaimed, bringing the small toy close to them and making Angela's smile grow wider. "Oh, hullo, wee Angela! G'morning!" She said, making a different voice and eliciting a small giggle.

Monica placed the stuffed doll against her ear and, with a mock serious face, she pretended to be listening to the frog speaking. "Oh, really? My goodness, I think you are perfectly right! It's been hours since we had our last meal and angels in human form must eat regularly! What do you think, wee Angela? Shall we all have breakfast?"

Angela's smile and her giggling encouraged Monica to do something she was dreading: the apartment was awfully quiet and the bed was slightly big for her and her daughter. Sighing deeply, she propped her elbow on the bed and took a better look on Angela's face: curious green eyes gazing back at her were a reminder of someone who she loved so dearly and who was not anywhere to be seen.

"You have your daddy's eyes and, although he disagrees with me, you have his nose too, do you know that?"

A smile with a few teeth was a reply to her words and the Irish angel had no choice but to rise to her feet and face the truth: her beloved valentine had already left, and didn't want to wake her up. With Angela in her arms, Monica walked along the small temporary home feeling its emptiness. Never that small apartment had seemed so big. Looking at the breakfast table Andrew had left before his departure, she sighed and kissed the top of her daughter's head. The baby was resting against her chest and also seemed to take in Andrew's absence.

"Even when he's distant like now, your daddy is always taking care of us, isn't he?"

As Angela remained in silence, Monica closed her eyes and touched her lips with her fingertips. It was as if she was feeling his loving kiss once again as a promise that he would carry her in his heart until the moment they were together again. But then, moments later, the Irish angel heard a message in her heart and knew that soon it'd be her time to move away from that temporary home and Angela would be left to the care of her dearest friend and supervisor.

X

Walking along the fields of Heaven, where there was no night and the sun always shone, the angel Monica carried Angela in her arms, and now both were wearing long white dresses, which were gently flying with the soft breeze that was blowing against their faces. Under the warm sunrays, Monica walked barefoot stepping on the soft green grass towards another angel, so dear to her heart. Soon, Tess was opening her arms to hold her.

"Oh, babies, it's so good to see you back!" the oldest angel said, turning to the little baby who was now fast asleep in her mother's arms. She caressed Angela's soft auburn hair "And look at this little angel here! She is such a beautiful little miracle of God!"

Monica kissed the top of her daughter's head and carefully handed her to the supervisor.

"Will you look after her for me, Tess?"

"Of course I will, angel girl!"

"Andrew has already left and I have an assignment to start in a few minutes... I just returned to leave Angela here..."

Like a mother who knew her daughter very well, Tess sighed and nodded her head, her smile fading a little at the sadness she could see in Monica's eyes. "Yes, I know that, baby. And I also know that very soon you'll be reunited again. You always do."

"It seems to me that staying together for these two wonderful months while we perform our assignments made us grow accustomed to having each other and now coming back to the old routine isn't that easy, I'm afraid."

"I understand it, baby. But there are people who really need your help, and you should meet them in a few moments."

"Is it a family, Tess?" she wanted to know, eyeing the supervisor curiously.

"Not exactly. See, you'll be working as a nurse at a big hospital."

Her soft brown eyes grew wide as she heard that. "A hospital? Oh, but then you are right, I could be useful as I've had the experience before!"

"The Father trusts you will do your best."

"You're not coming, are you?"

"Not for this moment, but soon." She looked at sleeping Angela. "Uncles Rafael and Adam loved taking care of her once, and you know that here there is a lot of dispute about who is going to watch over her!"

They hugged each other and Monica caressed her daughter's hair, kissing her rosy cheek repeatedly. "I love you so much, my little angel... so much..."

After saying goodbye to her dear friend, Monica left.

X

To be continued


	55. Away

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 55: Away

The movement of people passing by the hospital corridors never ceased during the days and nights. In a place like that, all of them carried in their faces a hint of sadness or anguish or expectation, as a loved one was probably in one of the many rooms in the five floors of that old building, either recovering or fighting for their life. Once in a while, it was possible to hear a desperate crying echoing along the cold halls – the consequence of some sad news that unfortunately doctors and nurses had to deliver. But there were also smiles and tears when someone was told that their loved one would live after being on the verge of leaving this world.

Monica watched small miracles happening at the same time as she witnessed the human beings' fragility. Two weeks after she had started her assignment there, the Irish angel had been able to help and support some, offer comforting words to others, put a smile on a sick child's face or give hope to those who were feeling alone in the world. And this mission cheered her heart and made her feel grateful at the same time that it helped her to deal with the momentarily separation from Andrew and Angela. They were a whole, a unity that only reached its balance when placed together, experiencing the bliss of the reunion and loving one another either with words or gestures.

The Irish angel wondered if right at that moment, wee Angela was fast asleep in Tess' generous arms or if awake and enchanting the angels that would come by and witness the Father's wonderful creation. The smile on Monica's face only faded when she thought about Andrew. If her duty as a God's servant in that hospital was, for many times, a difficult one, she dreaded to think about the heavy burden that her beloved soul mate had to carry in his routine.

A loud thunder interrupted her thoughts and made her human form tremble inside. The night had fallen hours before, but unlike the other days, when the movement would be a little reduced, the hospital was still crowded with people. The storm outside had started a while ago, bringing destruction and chaos in its wake. Monica stopped by a window and watched as the heavy rain and intense wind hit the earth and made the tall trees bend on their side, threatening to destruct what nature had taken years to build.

"Oh, Father, please, protect those who could not find a shelter on this difficult night... Send your angels to watch over them..." She prayed, closing her eyes for a moment.

The voice in the loudspeakers spread along the hospital corridors announced that the ambulances were bringing several injured people, who had been victims of a building that collapsed with the force of the waters in a district not far from there. On the blink of an eye, the rushing along the corridors increased considerably, and the first victims were brought by the firefighters. Doctors and nurses had to run to the front gates to help with the victims transportation up to the Emergency Room, as the news were that the construction had been in a risky and poor area and that at least 20 people lived in it.

Monica's eyes witnessed the horror of those who were seriously hurt and the despair of those who had lost a loved one – or were on the verge of. Her prayers were mixed with her quick actions in administering the first aids, while her heart ached for those God's children. The angel's accentuated sensitivity made her cry uncountable times for human beings suffering and this very occasion wouldn't be different.

Another ambulance was parked at the hospital gate and as the rain pelted down, one of the firefighters shouted he needed help to remove the victims he had brought to the ICU. Monica and other doctors were the ones who came to help, and when the stretchers were being removed from inside the vehicle, an image came as a sudden blow in her stomach. A tall blond man, with his forehead and arm covered with blood, was one of the victims, and the Irish angel covered her mouth as if stifling a desperate cry before that horrendous image.

It was her Andrew there.

"Oh, dear Father..." she whispered, and suddenly her human form stood still, as if cursed to remain like a statue for the next hundred years; her head was spinning at the same time she let the rain soak her clothes – the sensation of cold and wetness was imperceptible right now.

X

The image of her beloved Andrew hurt on that hospital cot left Monica paralysed with shock. For a moment, she couldn't talk or walk, and watched perplexed as the paramedics took him out of the ambulance and handled him to the nurses.

"Monica! Help here!"

A voice called her attention back to reality and she started to walk next to Andrew's stretcher, tears already falling from her eyes due to the injuries on his face and arms. She walked next to him until the ER room, where they started to administer the first aids.

"Go help the others, Monica, we'll take up from here." A doctor ordered, but watching as she still couldn't move and seemed in shock, he spoke again, "From what we heard, this man is the one who needs more attention as he risked himself for the people who were in the bus when it fell from a cliff. We'll take care of him!"

Somehow the angel in human form managed to process what the man was telling her and left the room, but was still able to see it as three doctors got together to try to stop Andrew's bleeding. Completely in panic, she leaned against the corridor wall trying to control her breathing and finally allowed her tears to fall.

"Oh, Father, please heal him... Don't let him suffer..." her whispered prayer was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Monica..."

When she saw Adam walking towards her, she felt her legs trembling – it was normally a joy to meet her friends but not right now because of what his presence represented in a place like that – and most importantly at a moment like that.

"Adam..." she stared at him with fear as he placed his hand over her shoulder. "Are you here for Andrew?"

"No... no, Monica..." The angel of death was immediately sorry to see so much fear and pain in those sad brown eyes. "I know about him but I haven't been told anything..."

"He's so hurt, Adam..." her crying voice was heartbreaking and the angel pulled her for a hug.

"Please be calm, Monica. You know that they are taking good care of Andrew... And you know what he really is, sweetie. There is a reason why he's here."

Monica cried softly for a few minutes, but then she pulled away and wiped her tears. "There... there are other people who were hurt... it seems that it was an accident..."

"Yes, and Andrew managed to help all those who were inside the bus. It was full of children who were coming back from an excursion to a park not far from here. Without him, then I would have to be here for most of those children..."

Biting her lower lip, the Irish angel nodded her head. "Nothing would have made him feel more honoured than accomplishing this assignment."

"I'll keep an eye on him for you, ok?"

She shot him a grateful look and nodded. "Thank you, Adam."

On the following hours, Monica and her colleagues administered the first aids to the children who were involved in the accident. All of them had minor injuries and despite the fact that they were still very scared, they would be alright thanks to an angel sent by God to protect them in that difficult hour.

"There are here because of the man who is at the ER now... He helped save many lives." One of the nurses said, and hearing that, Monica couldn't help shedding another tear. She had always known that her Andrew had a noble soul and that he was always doing wonderful things in this world. What hurt was that now, because of his courage and loving spirit, he was badly hurt and at least for a while away from those he loved the most.

Hours passed by slowly on that night and the hospital seemed to be involved in an atmosphere of anguish and tension. The news about the man who had managed to save 25 children from a terrible bus accident quickly spread and every person who heard about it sent a silent prayer for his recovery.

As most of the children had been released from hospital – and those who would stay for the night were alright and accompanied by their parents, Monica took a break from her duties as a nurse and headed to the hospital chapel. Contrary to the rest of the hospital, there was peace in the silence of the small area and at that time of the night dim light illuminated the altar and the row of pews in front of it. She walked along the short aisle up to the front pew and took a seat. There, she closed her eyes and prayed – not only for Andrew's recovery but also for his human condition as it broke her angelic heart to know that he was suffering.

"Please, Father, heal him... He's so pure of heart... He... he has such a noble soul... don't let him suffer... I love him so much..."

With tears falling from her eyes, Monica spent the next half hour praying for Andrew's safety and for his fast healing. She also thought about Angela and how the distance between father and daughter would made each of them suffer, and also hoped that they could be reunited soon.

When she finally opened her eyes, the angel in human form noticed that she wasn't alone in the chapel any longer. An old lady, elegantly dressed, was sitting at the other hand of the pew. Like Monica, she had also been praying and there was a mix of gratitude and sadness on her face.

"Good evening..." she said, noticing she was being observed.

"Good evening, madam..."

"I came here to offer some prayers of thanks and was going to the reception to search for information about a patient, but I see you work in here... I wonder if perhaps you can help me."

"I hope so... What kind of information would you like to know?"

"It's about the man who saved the children in that horrible bus accident."

Monica bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the emotion in her eyes. "Andrew."

"How is he?"

"He's going through surgery right now."

"Will he live?"

"Doctors... they are doing the best they can..." she replied, not trusting herself to go on answering those questions."

"I've been praying for him, you see. My grandchildren, a boy and a girl, were in that bus and if it wasn't for him, they wouldn't have survived. And Jonathan and Carolyn are all I have in this world since their parents have long gone. This man, Andrew, he was like an angel sent by God to save them all."

A bittersweet smile appeared on her face. "I couldn't agree more, madam."

"Margaret Chapman. I will save no expenses for Andrew to heal. I know no money can repay what he did for me, but at least I feel like helping him with whatever he needs so that he knows the good he did for me."

Monica watched as she left the chapel in silence, probably heading to the hospital administration so that she could inform that she would pay for any extra expenses with Andrew's care. And the angel in human form prayed that it wasn't necessary and that soon her beloved valentine would open his eyes to her once again.

Eventually, she too left the chapel and was quickly informed that the surgery was over and that Andrew had been transferred to another room. Grateful to have free access to any part of the hospital due to her temporary assignment as a nurse, Monica quickly headed to the ICU room on the second floor of the historical building and carefully opened its door. There, in that cold room, her beloved Andrew rested in bed, unconscious due to the sedatives that had been administered to his human form, unable to feel her presence as she approached his bed with tears in her eyes. Despite the fact that doctors had treated and bandaged his injuries he still looked so pale!

"Oh, Andrew... I'm so sorry, dear... I'm so sorry you had to go through it, I know you're hurt..." she whispered, her crying voice breaking the silence of the room as tears of emotion feel from her sad brown eyes. "You're always so protective of me and wee Angela... always wanting to take care of us and love us..." Monica caressed his face and his blond hair, now partially hidden by the bandage wrapped around his head. "But I promise that when you wake up I will be the one to watch over you until you are allowed to go back to your angelic form, are we understood?"

"Monica?"

The sound of the doctor's voice made her quickly wipe the tears away. "Doctor Ford..."

He was going to ask her what she was doing there, if there had been any changes in the patient's condition, but then he realised the nurse with Irish accent was probably one of the many people who had heard about his heroic attitude and had been praying for him to live. "He's stable now." The man quickly informed. "We did everything we could to treat his wounds. But Andrew had a broken leg and some broken ribs and the concussion in his head was pretty serious."

"I understand, sir." She spoke, her eyes still on the angel lying on the bed.

"The next hours will be decisive for him."

As Monica raised her head to look at the man, she saw Adam standing by the bedroom door – except that now he was in his angelic form, invisible to the human eye. He had a sad expression on his face but a few seconds later, his image slowly faded away. Perhaps it was just a visit, perhaps he too wanted to know how his long time friend and co-worker was doing. Trying not to think about what the angel of death's presence there represented, Monica turned her attention back to her interlocutor.

"Doctor... I... I was wondering if I could be the nurse in charge of Andrew. I... I have previous experience in treating ICU patients and his story touched me deeply. I would be glad to help."

"Sure, I see no problem."

"Thank you."

X

Two days later...

Monica watched as the sun rays started to fade away from the hospital bedroom ending another day of painful wait for her. Andrew's condition remained the same and he still hadn't woken up. She noticed the slight worry in his doctor's eyes whenever he came to check on him, and wondered if perhaps Adam's presence there had a purpose – a cruel purpose that would break her heart forever.

She stroked his face tenderly and held his hand, permanently speaking soft loving words to him, hoping that somehow he could hear her.

"I know that you are taking your time and it's perfectly fine to do so. But please do come back to us...Angela and I... we miss you so much..." she took his hand to her lips. "Apart from our heavenly Home, there is no other place where we feel so at peace other than your arms... And it's so hard not having them right now..."

As Monica was also Andrew's official nurse, she altered her time in between talking to him, checking on his condition and giving him the necessary medicines, administered through the IV tube permanently connected to his arm. And she also prayed. Except that now she didn't go to the chapel any longer, as it would mean staying away from him. The angel would stand by the bedroom window and turn her eyes at the blue sky, searching for comfort to her anguished heart and begging for a sigh that her beloved valentine would be alright.

"Father... if there is anything I can do to help... please send me a sign... I would do anything for him, Father..." she whispered, her eyes filled with incessant tears. "...Please, bring Andrew back... because without him, a part of me is missing..."

She watched as the last piece of sunray faded from the hospital room and then walked over up to the light switch. And as she turned it on, a rough voice nearly froze her.

"The bus..."

An instant later, she was standing by Andrew's bed and watching with her heart pounding loudly in her chest as he stirred his head and slowly opened his eyes.

"Andrew? Can... Can you hear me?" she asked with trembling voice.

The wounded angel seemed to be getting used to the artificial light and blinked a few times. Then, little by little, it became clear to him where he was and the young lady staring back at him with expectation. Her brown eyes were naturally sweet and one would always feel at peace under her kind and warm gaze. He could also see she had been crying and it wasn't difficult to detect some sadness on her beautiful face, but the peace brought by her presence was such that it brought comfort to his very confused heart.

"Y-yes..." he answered, and she could see he was still very weak. Quickly, Monica grabbed some water and placed it on a paper cup.

"Please, drink some water..."

She helped him up and he did as she asked. When she deposited the empty paper cup on the bedside table, Andrew turned to look at her, not missing the emotion in her eyes.

"There were so many prayers..." she said, with trembling voice. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. "There was an accident... with the bus..." he spoke, and not wanting him to make more effort, Monica quickly completed his sentence.

"And the children were all safe because of you... You saved them all, Andrew!"

The blond angel heaved a sigh of relief.

"How... how long have I been here?"

"For two days. You broke your leg and went through surgery because of the accident. But you will be fine."

"Were there other people injured?" he wanted to know, bringing his hand up to his head and feeling the bandage wrapped around it.

"No. Some children had a few scratches and were rather scared but nobody else got hurt." There was evident pride when she said that, as Andrew's noble attitudes always filled her heart with admiration for him.

But the next question took away at least part of the joy she was feeling for his recovering his consciousness.

"What's your name?"

The Irish angel was lost for words for a moment and felt as if the ground had just disappeared from underneath her feet. In fact, Monica doubted if she had heard it right, if she was too overwhelmed with emotion to process what she had heard.

"I beg your pardon?" was all that she could speak, in a whispered and shocked voice.

But before Andrew could say something else, the door opened and Dr Chapman entered the room

"Monica, I think we should-" surprise all over his face at the realisation that his patient was awake. "Andrew!"

As the old gentleman quickly approached the bed, Monica found the strength to speak again. "He... He has just woken up, sir..."

"And I was going to ask you if there had been any changes in his condition... I confess I was starting to be very worried about you, Andrew."

The doctor started the first procedures to exam his patient, checking his vital signs and making a series of questions. Andrew answered one by one, and while Monica assisted Dr Chapman, she tried to stifle a sob at his total indifference towards her.

"...your nurse said I've been here for four days..." he said, causing Monica to close her eyes briefly, as the pain caused by those words was almost physical.

"Yes, and you had us worrying about you all the time. Your injuries were serious, but we managed to control an internal haemorrhage and treat you with antibiotics. You had a broken leg too, and will need help at least for the next couple of months."

"I understand." He spoke, quietly recalling the events that brought him there.

"Is there anybody you want to call to? Mr Collins, the man who hired you to drive the bus, wasn't sure if you had family or friends."

Hearing that, Monica stared at the angel in human form with expectation, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

"N-no... My friends live far from here and there's nobody to call right now."

The Irish angel tried to hide the tear that fell from her eye as she heard him speaking. With trembling hands, she listened to Andrew and Doctor Chapman talking for a few minutes more but once she was over helping the doctor, she excused herself and left the room in a hurry. What seemed to be the end of a nightmare had turned into another heavy burden and if before she had to deal with Andrew's absence while he was unconscious, now that he was finally out of the coma, she would have to face his indifference.

And it was equally painful; equally cruel.

X

To be continued.


	56. The way back home

_ps. I'm sorry for making you guys wait for so long for this update! Promise the next episode is already being written and I won't take such a long time to post it!_

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 56: The way back home

Monica could hardly breathe as she walked along the deserted corridor for anguish was tearing her heart away. After being involved in a terrible accident, where he helped to save the lives of 25 children, her Andrew had not only been through a risky surgery but also faced two days of coma, leaving the doctors and herself to worry about his physical condition. And as if it hadn't been enough, now that the angel in human form was finally conscious, Monica found out that he had lost his memory. The expression on his face when he looked at her and asked what her name was felt like a blow in her stomach, and the Irish angel thought she would break down and cry right there in front of him. Instead, she managed to hide her feelings and left the room in a hurry, wanting to find a shelter where she could finally give in to her tears and despair.

But feeling so terribly miserable, the little angel did not manage to go too far – she stopped and leaned against the wall, trying to control her emotions and to put her thoughts in order.

She remained alone for a few seconds, though, as a familiar voice called her attention.

"Monica?"

She saw Adam walking towards her - his angelic form gave him free access to that restricted area of the hospital. The expression on his face had turned into a worried one as he saw how desperate she looked like. Something very serious was happening.

"Adam..." her crying voice only increased his concern.

"Monica, what is it?" he wanted to know, placing his hands over her small shoulders. He hadn't been told anything about Andrew's condition, which meant something good as it would break his heart to have to watch his friend leave his human form in such a painful way. Not to mention it would devastate Monica forever.

"Is it Andrew? Look, Monica, I haven't been informed about-"

"He's awake..."

That small piece of news finally put a smile on his face. "Awake? Really? Oh, but then this is great news! When did he recover consciousness?"

"A while ago..." she informed, trying to stifle a sob. "Dr Chapman is examining him right now..."

"What a great relief, Monica! I know what you've been through these last days... you spoke to him? What did he say?"

Biting her lower lip, Monica lowered her head for a few instants, as another tear fell from her eye. "Briefly..."

The smile on Adam's face slowly faded away as her behaviour was telling him that something was not totally right.

"Monica? What is it? Is there something else going on?"

The Irish angel turned her head up and now more tears fell freely from those sad brown eyes. "He didn't recognise me, Adam..."

His eyes grew wide at the impact of her words. "What is it you're telling me, Monica?"

"Andrew doesn't remember me! He... he remembers the accident and helping the children, but... he doesn't seem to know me!"

"That's... that's not possible, Monica. Maybe he's just confused now, but-"

"He asked what my name was!"

Monica could see that her angelic friend was shocked, and she didn't expect another reaction.

"I'm... I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm as surprised as you are..."

"How can he not remember me, Adam?" she urged, in desperation.

He gently placed his hands over her shoulders, he himself still quite shocked.

"But he will! Eventually, he will! Perhaps what happened blocked out his memory of those who he loves the most. And this memory will return with time, Monica. Give it some time. Remember that the most important is that he's out of the coma now and his human form is healing. Just a couple of hours ago we didn't even know if it would happen."

Sniffling, she nodded her head and took his words to her heart as she knew they were true. "You're right... You're perfectly right."

"I'll go see him. Like this, in my angelic form. Maybe it could trigger a flashback."

Monica's eyebrows knitted together with worry. "What... what if it's a shock for him? What if..."

"What could probably happen is his not recognising me either." He said. "And Monica...You and I know that nothing is in vain, and if Andrew is in this condition right now, there might be a reason for it."

Dr Chapman finished the first exams on his patient and pleased to see that Andrew's vital signs were all restored he left the ICU room. There were things to consider and new medication to administer now and the man left to check out his few notes.

But Andrew didn't remain alone for a long time. He was staring at the window, watching through the glass as a night without moon or stars fell slowly, when another presence called his attention.

"Adam?" he spoke, watching as his friend and co-worker slowly walked up to the bed in his angelic form. And the other angel of death couldn't help smiling: was Andrew's memory finally coming back?

"Hey, buddy. How are you doing?"

"Seems that my human form is quite resistant from what I've been told."

"It was a pretty bad accident. But fortunately the children escaped."

"You managed to take them on time... I know how much it means to an angel. Especially to an angel of death." Adam spoke, purposefully bringing in the subject.

His friend nodded his head, without expressing surprise. "You're right. When I saw the look in their eyes, Adam, I felt... I guess I might have felt a bit like a parent whose child was in a dangerous situation."

"A parent?"

A slight smile appeared on Andrew's face. "Yes... I know it sounds impossible for an angel but... it was just a feeling."

"I understand... I guess!" he joked, and then became serious again. "You're... you're feeling alright? Do you remember everything that happened?"

"I'm not quite sure... I remember pretty much everything that happened, but I keep having this impression that something is missing..."

The angel of death nodded his head slowly and with expectation at his friend's pensive expression. But few moments later, Andrew gave up finding the answer for his doubts and kept on talking. "I wonder how long I'll remain in this form..."

"Who knows, huh? Perhaps there's still an assignment to be fulfilled here and then you'll

have to remain in this form for a little longer."

"You might be right."

Adam walked towards his friend and placed a hand over his shoulder. "Try to get some rest, Andrew. You've been through a lot, and in this human form, you still might be in pain from the shock."

"Thanks. I'll see you around, Adam."

"Yeah... See you around."

After the other angel of death disappeared, Andrew reclined against his pillow and closed his eyes, heaving a tired sigh as confused images of the latest days played on his mind. But his reverie didn't last for long as the painkillers added to his medication ended up making him fall asleep again.

X

When Andrew woke up it was past noon, and what made him regain consciousness was the small noise made by the nurse in charge of changing his IV bag.

"I woke you up... I'm sorry." She quickly apologised, and when his eyes met hers he could see far more than regret – there was so much sadness in those beautiful brown pools that, for some unexplainable reason, he too felt an inch of sorrow in his own heart.

"No, it's okay... Monica." The way he said her name made her feel anxious for a moment, as if she was hoping he had finally recovered his memory. But she could not fool herself nor ignore the effort he had just made to remember it. "I was just drifting off, not really sleeping." He added.

The Irish angel finished to change his IV and stood by his bed; hands conjoined so as to resist the impulse to caress his hair and touch his face. "How are you feeling?"

"I guess I've been better, but considering what the doctor told me, I guess I'm doing fine."

His slight smile somewhat cheered her up for a few instants and she too smiled back at him. "Looks like you've been blessed with a miracle."

"I believe that too. Miracles happen every day, all the time."

"They most certainly do."

Andrew watched the nurse standing before him for a moment; it was impossible not to feel the serenity conveyed by her presence. Her soft voice and lovely accent were not to be forgotten and he wondered why he could sense all that sadness coming from her soul.

"Has it been a hard day?" He asked, somewhat starting a small investigation.

"Oh... it's been quite difficult indeed. But I've been praying a lot and hoping for the day my prayers are answered."

Monica observed him too, watching as he nodded her head. But when silence remained, she spoke again. "I should go now. And you need to rest as much as you can."

"It's okay."

Andrew's eyes followed her until she made it to the door. "Monica..."

She turned around quickly, with a hopeful expression. "Yes?"

"I'll pray too... for your prayers to be answered."

The angel managed a bittersweet smile, trying to hide her disappointment. "Thank you... Andrew."

When she closed the door behind her, he smiled. The way that nurse pronounced his name was particularly endearing and despite the fact that she had advised him to rest, Andrew spent the following hours wondering what in the world could make her feel so sad.

Before the angel of death realised, the nurse named Monica had already raised his protective instincts and he felt deep compassion for her.

X

Monica walked along the hospital corridors and descended four floors until she finally reached the basement. There, the angel in human form kept on walking and a couple of minutes later she finally arrived at her destination: the hospital chapel.

It was relatively small but its interior was involved in a soft glow and in the most absolute silence. The carpet beneath Monica's feet stifled her steps up to the front pew, where she could face the altar. Besides her, there was only one person inside the chapel, an old lady who remained sitting in the back; hands conjoined and eyes closed.

"Oh, Father, please forgive me if I'm being selfish... I don't know what Your plan is, but all I ask is that it includes bringing him back to Angela and me... He's so close and yet so distant... And then it seems that a part of me is missing too." A silent tear made its way down her cheek. "I know I should be thankful for his recovery; for the ceasing of his suffering, but my heart is so heavy with sorrow, Father... If there is a reason for his condition, please show me..."

She stood there for a while, offering her prayers and dreaming of the day when her soul mate was returned back to her in his entirety; praying for the day when she would be able to touch him again or throw herself in his arms or tell him how much she loved him.

When Monica stood to her feet and walked along the short aisle to leave the chapel, however, the old lady who had been there when she arrived let out a small sob, and it immediately called her attention.

"Excuse me, madam... Are you alright?" she wanted to know, placing a gentle hand over the old woman's shoulder and bending down a little to reach for her face.

The woman raised her head and looked at her, managing a slight smile despite her tears. "Oh, yes, my dear. I'm fine, thank you..." she said, wiping her tears with a tissue. "Actually, I was crying of happiness."

The expression on Monica's face softened as she heard that and she too managed a smile. "I'm glad to hear it then... when I saw you I thought..."

"My grandchildren were saved from the building that collapsed..." she said, as Monica took a seat next to her. "You know... many, many years ago, when my son decided to marry a woman who was not according to our 'social class standards' I decided I wouldn't be part of their life again. We had a terrible argument and I only knew from them through my other son. Time made me realise how unfair I had treated them... I asked for their forgiveness but they did not want my presence in their life; which I totally understood. They were giving me back what I gave them years before."

"One does not fight anger with anger."

"All the harm I inflicted them had created deep roots. But these roots were shattered at the night of the accident as God not only gave us our children back but also made me reconcile with my son and his wife."

"I'm glad to hear that this story had a beautiful ending."

"And here I am, sitting here and thanking God for what He has done for us... And wondering where the man who was directly related to this miracle is."

"I'm sorry?"

"We were informed that a man managed to save all the children from the building when it collapsed, and that he ended up deeply hurt."

A moved smile appeared on Monica's face. "Oh, yes... he was an angel sent to those children..."

"Do you know what his name is?"

X

Angels do not segment time the way humans do. But sometimes, especially when they are on Earth, the division into minutes, hours and days served them as a guide so that they could reflect about the latest events and how these events affected their existence. In silence, now sitting on his bed, Andrew watched as the sun disappeared behind the buildings and gave place to a night without stars. A few days earlier, his human form had been at risk and he feared for his life like any other human; the angel of death experienced a typical human sensation and was still coming to terms with that fact. And now that the news had come about him managing to save all the ones involved in the accident, he spent some time wondering why he had remained in that injured human form.

But he already seemed to have an answer to those questionings.

"I heard that the room service in this hospital is a five star one!"

Adam's voice took him out of his reverie, and his friend's little joke made him smile.

"Actually, if I were human and had an accident, I guess I'd be quite relieved to be sent here!" He replied, watching as his friend and co-worker took a seat on a nearby chair.

"Do you have any idea when you're gonna be released from the ICU?"

"One of the doctors spoke to me a while ago. He said that my vital signs are stabilising and if everything goes well, I may go to a bedroom tomorrow."

"That's some great news!"

"It is. Except that now I'm in no hurry to leave this place, Adam."

The other angel frowned. "Oh, no? And what made you change your mind?"

"I know why I remain in here. I have another assignment to fulfil."

"Another assignment? Have you been told anything then? Did Sam or Tess come to you?"

"No, they didn't even have to, I already know what it is."

"Sorry, buddy, I don't get it..."

"There is a nurse here, her name is Monica. And... I feel there is something about her that I should know... the sadness I can see in her eyes and I feel this urge to help her... as if it was my duty, my mission..."

Adam tried his best not to show how surprised he was at those words. "And do you know why you feel this way towards her?"

"I'm asking myself the same thing and the only conclusion that I get to is that she's my next assignment. I haven't heard from anybody yet and I cannot ignore someone seems to be suffering like the way she does!"

"I understand... Have you two spoken? Did she say anything to you that made you feel like she needs help?"

"We spoke briefly but I could see something in her eyes... something that... I cannot explain but that made me feel committed to helping her."

Before Adam could say something else, a slight knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and on the following instant, Monica pushed it open and poked her head inside. "Excuse me..."

"Hi, Monica... Come in."

"Excuse me, Andrew..." she said, entering the bedroom but not closing the door behind her; Adam had already vanished. "Is everything alright?" Monica wanted to know, watching as he was sitting on his bed.

"Yes, everything is just fine. I guess I'm just getting tired of so much sleeping!" he joked, glad to see a slight smile playing on her lips.

"I... I brought someone who really wanted to see you... I hope this is alright."

"Oh, sure, it's okay! Who is this?"

She opened up the door. "Please, come in Mrs Dockery."

The old lady entered the hospital room carefully, somewhat embarrassed to bother a patient who had been recovering from such a bad accident. But what she had to tell him could not wait.

"Mrs Dockery's grandchildren were in the building when it collapsed and you saved them, Andrew. She insisted on seeing you."

"Excuse me, Andrew... I hope you're doing well in your recovery..."

"I'm doing fine, thanks, Mrs Dockery."

She stepped closer to bed and reached for his hand. "I came here to tell you that you did more than saving my grandchildren's life... You brought an entire family together again, son."

"I'm happy to hear that, Mrs." He replied, and Monica's eyes could not hide how proud she was of him just by hearing that.

"There is nothing I can do to repay what you did for me... but I would really like to try to help you."

"Thank you for your concern, Mrs Dockery, but I'm doing fine and they're treating me well here..."

"I know but took the liberty to speak to your doctor and he told me you will keep your leg in plaster for a while and you will also need someone to do the things for you at home. I understand you live by yourself in this town, is that right?"

"Y-yes, that's correct."

Monica lowered her head, as once again her hopes to see him recovering his memory had vanished.

"You need someone to be by your side while you recover; a nurse." She said, "And I spoke to Monica's boss, who happens to be a long time friend of the family. She will be your nurse. I will pay for her services and compensate the hospital for her absence... That of course, if she accepts my offer."

Monica's mouth dropped open at that proposal. All she wanted right now was to stay by her dear Andrew's side, taking care of him and praying for his memory to return. She was certain that Andrew was her assignment. And the Irish angel was not the only one who was extremely surprised at the woman's generosity. Andrew did not know what to say except that the old lady's offer only made him more certain that Monica was his next assignment. He would find out what in the world made her feel so sad and a way to help her through it.

On the days that followed, the angel in human form had a good recovery, being transferred to a normal bedroom and then finally receiving the doctor's authorisation to leave the hospital. Mrs Dockery had put her personal driver at Andrew's disposal to take him back to his home. For the time being, he was staying at a simple but quite charming cottage near the beach. He did not know how to explain it, but staying by the ocean and especially in a place like that brought him a sense of inner joy and peace.

And so did the fact that Monica had accepted the old lady's offer to take care of him; now he would be able to work on his assignment, to fulfil the mission to help her recover the happiness that she seemed to have lost.

And he had secretly promised himself he would not give up until he accomplished it.

"It's such a beautiful place..." she spoke, standing by the porch and watching as from a certain distance blue waves crashed upon the white sand. There was a slight smile upon her face and her long auburn hair danced with the breeze coming from the horizon, as so did the lilac dress she was wearing. There were a series of happy memories crossing her mind right now, memories from a beach house similar to that where she had spent so many remarkable moments with her dear valentine and not so long ago, with their cute little daughter.

"It is." He agreed, standing by her side but in a wheelchair due to his injured leg, while the driver placed his bags inside the house. "And I'm glad to see it made you smile."

Monica turned her eyes from the ocean to look at him and once again, when their eyes met, it seemed that one could see far more than their beautiful human forms – it seemed they could read each other's souls.

"I have... very beautiful memories of sunny days spent by a beach."

"I'm glad to hear it too, Monica. And... I hope that those memories become a reality once again."

Her smile was bittersweet, but never less enchanting. "Oh, me too."

"Thank you. For accepting to help me out while I'm here. Although Mrs Dockery has hired you to do it, you could have said no because the access here is difficult and it's far more distant from where you live than the hospital."

"Oh, please don't thank me. I'm happy I can help you."

X

To be continued.


	57. Patience

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 57: Patience

Those who had the privilege to spend some time by the ocean would soon learn to sleep lulled by the lovely sound of the waves that crashed upon the white sand at night, or by the soft breeze that hastened gently through the tree tops. They would also be graced with warm sunrays pouring through the window early in the morning and watch as the once mighty waves had turned into small vibrations in the sea water that kissed the shore. It was a perfect picture created by our loving Father.

The angel in human form strolled along the beach with her bare feet touching its sand and the soft breeze gently disarraying her auburn hair. Mother Nature had gifted that region with the bluest of the skies and the gentle sun spread its warmth along the land, brining more life to what was already an enchanting region.

But to the heavenly being that made its silent walk towards the white cottage that faced the beach it was only one more day of painful wait. A week earlier, she had had the joy to watch her soul mate leave hospital after a terrible accident that had left his human form seriously injured. The perks of a human body were many for an angel who spent some time on Earth, doing their Father's work. But so were the risks. Initially assigned only as an angel of death, along the years that followed Andrew had also gradually been given the mission to help and guide instead of just escorting God's children back Home. And two weeks before that sunny morning, he had managed to rescue 23 children from a building that collapsed during a terrible thunderstorm.

Seen as an angel by many even though his true nature remained unrevealed, he had experienced the joy that very few angels of death were honoured with: to save a human being's life. But now he needed to find his way back to his life, discover the reason he had been created other than doing his Father's work. The serious accident he had suffered had not just left physical marks. These were easy to heal: a leg kept in plaster would soon be giving its first steps again; the cuts on his temple and forehead would close with the help of precise stitches; the smaller wounds on his strong arms fade away with time.

But what about his memory? What about the most beautiful images his green eyes had ever seen in all those centuries of his existence? Monica smiling at him, the beauty of her meek face, the lovely sound of her voice telling him about her never ending love. When would he remember the unforgettable nights they had shared as a human couple, experiencing a unity of bodies and souls brought by physical love? And when would he remember the living proof of their union? Little Angela's smile back at him, her joy caused by his mere presence, a chubby little hand holding his as she gave her first steps of her existence...

All those thoughts haunted Monica's mind as she made her way to the cottage, that place itself reminded her of another special one, the beach house – their beach. The place where they had made love for the first time, the place where little Angela spent her first days on Earth, a shelter where they would go to whenever their earthly chores had been accomplished.

The angel climbed up the porch steps still processing the multitude of anguishing and bittersweet thoughts when an unexpected voice finally took her out of her reverie.

"It's really a blessed day..."

Andrew was sitting on a wheelchair and had spent the last half hour not only admiring his Father's creations but also following his temporary nurse's walk along the beach with intrigued eyes. Sadness would always invade her heart whenever she realised that part of his memory was still laying dormant somewhere in his sub-consciousness, but Monica smiled. The joy to see him recovering and his presence alone were enough to renew her hopes.

"Oh, Andrew... I'm sorry if I'm a bit late... I must have lost the track of time while-"

"Oh, no, you're not late, Monica!" He was quick to say, not wanting her to feel guilty or uncomfortable in any way. "Apparently, I'm the one who wakes up as the sun comes out. An early bird, as people would say!" The angel added, offering a friendly smile.

_You've always been the one to wake up early, my love..."_ She thought.

To him, there was a clear reason why he had remained on Earth after saving those children, there was a logical explanation for his injuries to take time to heal: the beautiful nurse with the lovely accent was his assignment. There was much sadness behind those sweet brown eyes and he was determined to cast away her sorrow and give her the hope and joy he could feel she'd once had.

And looking at Monica it was difficult to reckon how Andrew did not realise she was an angel like him. She was dressing a lovely lilac dress, with tiny flowers on its hem. With her arms bare it was possible to admire the perfection of her porcelain skin and the fact that her hair had been previously disarrayed by the wind only added her figure more beauty. Auburn locks cascaded over her shoulders, framing her meek Gaelic features even more accentuated by the cadence of her Irish lilt as she spoke.

Without realising it, Andrew had his eyes transfixed on her image, Monica had become a vision that he could not stop contemplating.

"There was a wee bit of mist just as the first sunrays shone. But now look at what the Father has given us..." a brief look at their surroundings was her pause. "You must be hungry," she kept on talking, looking back at him not only with worry but also with great care. "Let's go inside and I'll prepare your breakfast. I'll help you."

She moved to push his wheelchair but he gently stopped her. "That's ok, Monica. Thanks. I feel my arms much stronger now than two days ago."

The Irish angel smiled, happy to hear that.

X

Monica set the table for breakfast at the same time she and Andrew engaged in a conversation. He knew very little about her: only that she had a family that lived far from there, and some friends that were also busy at the moment. She had told him that she was living all by herself in a small apartment not far from the hospital and spent most of the time working as s nurse there and for him.

"I have something to confess, though..." there was worry on her face as she spoke.

"What is it?" he wanted to know, alarmed by her solemn expression.

"I've heard that the delivery restaurant that served us for the last couple of days is closed and... I'm afraid I'm not a good cook..."

Andrew couldn't help chuckling at hearing that confession, nor at the cute way she said it.

"I'm serious, I promise!" she spoke again, still worrying about lunchtime.

"Monica, I could never demand you to cook for me, you're doing much more than your duty as a nurse!"

She sighed deeply, still not knowing what to do: it was Sunday and the small restaurant that had delivered their lunch during the week was probably closed. But the sudden thought that crossed her mind made her smile:

"Meatloaves!"

"Meatloaves?" he repeated, with a questioning and amused face.

"It's my speciality!" she gladly informed.

"Then meatloaves sounds great!"

His warm smile back at her was a bit of a relief in such turbulent times.

Andrew insisted that they had breakfast together, and after that Monica started the daily task of changing the bandages on his forehead and arms. What would normally be painful and unpleasant was not felt. Monica's touch was gentle and tender, like an angel's touch, and it seemed that the pain stopped at the moment her fingertips brushed against his skin. The delicacy of the contact, however, did not surprise him as he knew that it would only come from a creature like Monica.

But what could lie behind the constant sadness that he could see reflected in those sweet brown eyes?

"I know that Mrs Dockery hired you to be here every day but I imagine you'd like to spend the Sunday with your family." He was talking about the elderly lady whose grandchildren had been some of the ones Andrew had rescued.

A slight smile appeared on the corner of her lips. "They... they are far away now..." she said, looking through the window for a moment, and then back at him. "I miss them dearly. But I have an assignment to fulfil here."

"I'm thankful for that, Monica. I know that I cannot offer you a lot of help right now but if there's anything you need, please let me know."

She eyed him with a tender smile still playing on her face – her Andrew had such a noble and generous character. "Thank you." She said, with gratitude. And then she added. "Well, right now I confess I'd love it if you could give me a wee bit of help in the kitchen!"

Laughing softly, he shook his head. "I trust you and your meatloaves!"

X

"I'm so sorry, Andrew..."

Monica's face was one of disappointment, but her temporary patient wouldn't allow her to remain sad for a long time just because lunch didn't go on as well as she had planned.

"Hey, that's alright, Monica! It isn't as bad as you're saying! And lack of practice can cause... small accidents." He said, looking at the over cooked meatloaves that rested on their dishes – a dark and hard cover with a raw content. "You're a nurse, and a great nurse, not a chef, and it is more than I deserve!"

"I should have known something like this would happen..."

"Hey..." he reached out over the table to take her hand, and only then realised the bruise on her skin. "You're hurt..."

"It's... it's nothing... really..." came her soft reply, bright doe like eyes fixed on his dark green ones. She could not avoid the rush of emotions brought by his tender touch.

"No, it is. And in a way I feel not only guilty about it but also I think we should swap papers right now. Let me get that first aid kit!"

The box with Monica's first aid material was over a small side table in the living room and Andrew insisted on fetching it to treat her wound. With his usual gentleness, he made her stretch her arm and opened her hand with delicacy. The contact of his fingers against her skin brought back the usual tenderness that only that angel of God would transmit.

"Thank you,' she spoke, once he had finished to wrap a bandage around her hand.

"You're welcome, Monica. And now that problem number one is solved, I just had an idea for problem number two!"

"An idea for problem number two?" the questioning and somewhat worried look upon her face was endearing.

X

Twenty minutes later...

"Well, the mozzarella pizza is exquisite but I didn't know that there were people who appreciated mocha pizza!"

Andrew's teasing tone of voice finally made her smile broadly. The pizza parlour was not far from there they were and although pizza was not something that people should trade their lunch for, that one was highly appreciated and secretly looked like a feast if compared to Monica's meatloaves.

"Are you sure you don't want to try it? Have you never felt the coffee beans melting in the mouth when you taste a bit of it?" she wanted to know, marvelled at the taste of her food.

Chuckling, the angel of death shook his head with amusement, "I don't think so! I'd stay with my mozzarella pizza!"

She looked shocked, yet equally amused.

"Well, you don't know what you're missing!"

He laughed, not taking his eyes from her as she ate her mocha pizza. Monica was enchanting, her sweet and childlike manners were able to hypnotise those who were fortunate to meet her.

"It reminds me of a day back in time, when I was sitting on a porch by a lake in my beloved Ireland, you see."

Her accent was particularly endearing and Andrew wondered if there could be a more adorable human being.

"Does your family live there?" he was still smiling, but now there was also great care in his dark green eyes.

"N-not exactly..." Monica stopped eating and pondered her words. "But they are far away now... separated by the circumstances."

"Can't you visit them?"

She smiled softly, it was a bittersweet smile. "I can... It's just that... sometimes it is difficult to reach them..."

"I understand..." He knew that she was often sad when that subject came up, and tried to bring back the joy he could see on her face that day. "Don't tell me that back at that time you used to drink mocha with mocha pizza!"

"Of course I did!" she spoke, matter-of-factly, and her slight annoyance only amused him even more. The joyful atmosphere of that sunny day brought back Monica's eternal chatter, and she went on telling him about her days in a place she considered her homeland.

What neither of them noticed was how easily they connected with each other, their hearts were suddenly filled with peace and with tender feelings, regardless the adversities of the moment. To Andrew, Monica was precious and deserved nothing more than to regain the happiness that she once had, together with her loved ones. She was also beautiful, in and outside, and the blond angel could not take his eyes from her almost heavenly image.

X

Some days later...

"It's scary and fascinating at the same time..." Monica's soft words travelled with the breeze as she and Andrew remained sitting on a bench along the sidewalk, observing as the waves crashed upon the sand. Her long auburn tresses were flying with the wind, sunrays accentuating their glow as well as light up the angel's face. Andrew was already able to move without a wheelchair as the injury on his leg healed faster than what the doctors expected.

Now he used crutches and he and his sweet companion used to go for a walk once in a while. It was good for him, both to his human body and to his spirit.

"I noticed you never go too close to the water, but I never thought you were..." his words trailed off as he did not mean to hurt her by saying anything wrong.

"Afraid?" she spoke, looking deep inside his green eyes.

"I'd say... you prefer to keep your distance."

She nodded her head. "A healthy respect, if you prefer... I've been there a few times, though..." she turned her eyes from him, a flashback of their honeymoon days playing on her mind. He had led her through water. He put her heart at ease with tender words and showing her that she should not be afraid.

"Hey..." Andrew covered her hand with his, as he noticed the sadness in her eyes. Monica looked at him again, her heart beating in rhythm with his. "Nothing is so sad that cannot be healed, trust me."

A bittersweet smile was a reply to his words. "I know... I have faith in this."

Andrew returned her smile and for a moment, he was lost in the beauty of her meek Gaelic features, of which he had grown fond over the last month. He'd never had a sweeter assignment like her. And never wanted another one. Her beauty was hypnotising, and if in the beginning he saw his staying on Earth as another mission, now it had turned into a gift from the Father as it was an opportunity to spend more time with Monica. He had been avoiding to think about the day he would have to leave, as recently he had come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to do it. He would ask his superiors to be her guardian angel and stay close to her as to protect her from the dangers that human life could bring.

A sudden voice interrupted the moment and they broke up the unconscious eye contact to look at a ten-year-old boy who was carrying a huge basket filled with red roses.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like to buy a rose for your girlfriend?"

The boy's words caught them by surprise and, smiling, the angel of death searched for his wallet to pay for a beautiful flower. "Alright! Here you go, buddy! A beautiful flower to the beautiful lady!" he said, depositing the rose in Monica's hand afterwards.

"Ah... It's lovely..." she spoke, as Andrew observed how her fingertips touched the delicate rose buds – the same delicacy with which she touched his injured skin, "Thank you..." her eyes were sparkling, not managing to hide the love she felt for him.

The angel of death in human form smiled back at her, enchanted with her sweetness. "Please do not thank me for anything, Monica. You've done so much for me I... I just wish I could repay you."

"Then I am the one to ask you not to say that... Being here with you... being able to help is... it means so much..."

There was a moment their eyes were locked with each other and, having the noise of the ocean waves in the background, it seemed that they could see each other's soul.

"I thank God for sending you to help me." He gently squeezed her hand again. "And it only shows that no one is ever alone, Monica. That any adversities in life can be overcome. There is always someone to help."

She smiled at him – tenderly, her love for him would grow as he spoke. "Sometimes I end up forgetting about this but I'm happy that there is always someone to reassure me in difficult times.."

Monica squeezed his hand back and finally their gaze broke as she looked at the flower he'd just given her.

"There's a new cafeteria not far from the beach street and I heard they make a great mocha, and it made me think of someone!"

Her broad smile back at him made me feel like he had just been granted heavenly gift. "Well, I have a wee bit of an idea about who this person is!"

Laughing, they stood up from the bench and started a lovely walk along the coast heading to the cafeteria Andrew had mentioned. His first impulse was to grab her hand but he refrained himself – funny enough, it felt like the most natural thing in the world, perhaps because Monica was such an enchanting creature that anyone would want to feel her presence a little longer. But on the other hand, he did not know how she would react to such contact and the last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable with his presence.

The hours that followed passed by quickly, filled with cheerful conversation and many coffee cups. The two angels in human form were not aware of the closeness they were in, not even Monica who knew the whole truth could realise how attached he had become to her, his great care and interest about everything that was related to her.

When the sun began to set behind the ocean, however, what had started as a beautiful hot sunny day soon became a stormy night. Monica and Andrew were heading back to the cottage – she wanted to make sure he was at home before she left, when they were caught by the heavy rain and wind. Fortunately, they were just a block from Andrew's temporary home and got there in time to watch as the storm finally hit the small town in full force.

While Andrew changed his t-shirt, Monica sat on the armchair by the window, watching with some worry as the rain pelted down outside. The storm was increasing and would certainly continue as the night fell. The rays and loud thunder bothered terribly, and this time she had no one to hold her tightly until it was all over.

X

"We were fortunate to get back in time."

Andrew returned from his room wearing another t-shirt and now his hair was only damp. Monica had also dried her hair with a towel when they got there, and her dress was not very much affected by the raindrops. He took a seat in front of her and placed the pair of crutches to the side – how he wanted to get rid of those soon, so he could be free to take the beautiful Irish nurse to other places, fill her eyes with the beautiful things that there are in this world. The angel of death would even give up of his primary function just to see her fully happy again. And that afternoon he was certain that he was in the right track.

"I wonder if all those people who were at the café with us have managed to reach a shelter..." there was slight worry in her voice as she kept on looking outside, and Andrew did not miss the slight trembling that ran through her petite body as another thunder echoed along the dark skies.

"Hey..." He inched forward so he could reach her hand, and the tender contact drew her attention back at him. "I'm sure they are alright. The rain must have kept them there and those who left with us must be home right now. This is a tourist town, the ones who are visiting it are staying at an inn or a small hotel."

She nodded her head and a slight smile appeared in her lips briefly.

"You're trembling..."

"Storms... they make me a wee bit nervous..."

"I understand, but you're safe here, and God is watching over those who are outside."

The faint smile remained on her face for some seconds and she turned her eyes to look through the window, never letting go of his hand. "I just hope it does not take too long. It'll be difficult to go back home with a weather like-"

"Monica, I would never allow you leave!" he spoke, as if he had just heard something absurd; his protective instincts towards her immediately raised. She looked back at him as he kept on talking. "You're staying here, you can have my bedroom, I'll sleep on the couch!"

She shook her head reluctantly and rose to her feet, as if escaping from his incisive gaze. "You are recovering from a serious accident, it would not be fair."

But Andrew would not accept a negative answer from her, he was determined to let her know how much she was loved. Yes, initially loved by their loving Father and... well, the way other living creatures felt about her was something yet to be dealt with.

Rising to his feet with some difficulty, he stood up in front of her using the window frame as a supporter. "Letting you go under this thunderstorm would not be fair. As well as it would not be decent to allow you to sleep in the couch, it's not even an option to me. You're the one who's been doing all the hard work in here, Monica. This afternoon, when were by the beach and I gave you that rose I told you that you should never thank me. What you've done for me is... much more than I deserve I guess."

Monica tilted her head and eyed him with tenderness and so much love it nearly hurt. "I found a small vase in the cupboard and placed the rose in it with a wee bit of water. Hopefully by the morning it will bloom with the sun."

He reached out and stroked her cheek with delicacy. Once again, it felt as the most natural thing in the world. "I'd say it has already fulfilled its mission as a flower. Because it placed a smile on your face." He spoke, tenderly brushing his thumb against her cheek.

The Irish angel could not avoid the lonely tear that fell freely from her eyes, nor the impulse to hold him tightly and rest her head against his chest. It was much stronger than her; like the little flower that was resting upon the coffee table, or like the wild thunderstorm raging outside - it was nature following its course.

And as he felt her small body in his arms, an overwhelming wave of love, tenderness and compassion washed his spirit, making him realise that perhaps his existence had one single purpose: to be there for her, to be able to hold that lovely creature and tell her once again that she was not alone in this world, that he would always be with her. "Oh, Monica... I just want you to know that whatever it is that has been troubling or saddening your heart, be sure that there is someone here who is ready to listen to you..." he stroked her hair. " You're not alone."

Andrew felt her nodding her head against his chest – he could hold her like that for the centuries to come. "Thank you..."

"No, no thank you's, remember?" he spoke, smiling against her perfumed hair.

She finally pulled away to look at him, a slight smile again back on her lips. "I think you'll have to scold me a few more times..."

Shaking his head, he returned her smile, not managing to take his eyes from her. "Scold you? No, I don't think I'd ever be capable of it..."

They were once again lost in each other's gaze, unaware of the time and the place, and even of the storm that still chastised that part of the Earth. To him, she was the most beautiful of God's creations and he did not think he could ever be away from her again along his existence. Monica was precious, a gift from the Father that he would treasure for the rest of his eternity. Her eyes, her meek face that kept such beautiful Gaelic features; the dimples on her cheeks and chin whenever she smiled at him, and, God forbid, the gracious curves of her human body... every small detail that concerned her enchanted him.

Completely in awe at his powerful gaze, the Irish angel felt as if for a split second her Andrew was back there and that he would just call her angel and tell her he had remembered their story. And even though his next words showed her that his memory wasn't back yet, something inside her told her that his love remained intact.

When the moment was gone, Andrew spoke again, trying to put a more amused tone in his voice. "Considering that this couch is the first place where the sun shines inside this house and that I'm the early bird in here, I'll get a blanket and a pillow for me, so you can have the room."

He was afraid she would feel uncomfortable again about the two of them spending the night there, he feared being away from her as well as her rejection now that he had promised himself to brighten up her existence.

But Andrew was not a stranger and his presence only soothed her soul and sent her fears away. The Irish angel accepted his offer and after they bid each other good night, she lied down on his bed; exhaustion taking over her as she rested her head on the pillow. The sheets the masculine cologne that the angel of death never wore as it was his natural smell, just as much as the fragrance of wild flowers exhaled from her own body.

"Sleep well, my dear Andrew... I love you very much..." she whispered, her last thoughts on the angel in human form who was sleeping in the room next door.

What she did not know was that Andrew was not asleep – he could not manage to for a long time, the image of the beautiful Irish nurse could not be erased from his mind or from his thoughts. He would eventually have to reflect upon the feelings that were growing inside his heart – the angel of death had never felt like that before, and doubted if he was even allowed to.

But it did not matter. All that mattered was Monica.

X

To be continued.


	58. Home

**Angel of Mine Series**

**Episode 58: Home**

He did not know how long he had been walking, nor how he got there. But the angel of death felt an urgency inside his heart he could not explain but which made him go ahead, looking for something or someone in that vast green field. There were trees not far from where he walked, small hills crossed by a water stream and bushes with wild flowers added more beauty to what was already a place blessed by God. The blue sky had just a few cotton-like clouds that passed by lazily, not able to hide the warm sunrays that shone across the land.

But at that moment, the angel's attention was not in the gorgeous scenario that surrounded him, for his green eyes finally found something even more beautiful.

Monica was sitting under the shadow of an oak tree staring at an invisible point ahead of her. Her auburn locks had the habitual glow and were flying up with the gentle breeze. She was barefoot and wearing a white long dress and her image only made Andrew walk faster towards her. Only when he came closer, however, did he notice her downcast brown eyes were filled with tears, and he felt that his duty was to make it end no matter what.

"Monica?"

His hand over her shoulder caused a slight trembling to run over her body and she turned around to look at him. Andrew knelt right in front of her, his dark pools searching for her brown ones and he tried to find an answer to all that sorrow.

"Andrew..."

"Please, don't cry... Not anymore..."

"I don't know what else to do..."

He stroked her cheek, never breaking the eye contact with her. "I'll do whatever it takes to end up your sadness... It's all that matters to me right now!"

A small sob escaped her as she covered his hand with hers. "Please promise me you'll never go away..."

He smiled – despite her suffering, he had a reason to exist other than doing the Father's work, as she was asking him to remain by her side. It was all he wanted to hear. "I promise you, Monica... I'll never leave you, never! I vow to be with you for the rest of my eternity, to protect you and to fill your life with joy."

The Irish angel returned his smile, at least she had something to hold on to; her Andrew would always be hers. "I feel such a selfish creature right now..." she spoke, their faces were just a few inches from each other. "Because having you by my side, Andrew... this is what I've been praying for since that day in the hospital, when you were seriously hurt... it broke my heart and I was so desperate..."

He lay his both hands on each side of her face, thumbs gently wiping her tears away. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. "I'm here, angel..."

Silence followed his last words, deep love was written in their eyes but there was no need to express it with words. Andrew dared to cross the distance between them and captured her lips with his, in a soulful kiss that made both angels' hearts skip a beat with a multitude of loving feelings. He kept on holding the side of her face while his other hand brushed her auburn locks, fingers entwined in her perfumed long hair as the kiss went on, lasting for a small eternity...

Monica rolled over the bed and suddenly opened her eyes: they were wet with tears as the dream that seemed so real had finally come to an end.

What she did not know was that in the room next door, a very surprised Andrew had woken up after having the same dream.

X

"Congratulations, Andrew. You're doing great, just great!" Doctor Stevens spoke, after examining his patient's injured leg. "Your recovery is really impressive."

"I'm glad to hear it, doctor. But there's someone who deserves all the credit." The angel in human form replied, shooting a tender glance at the Irish nurse standing by the door. He had insisted that she should be present at the appointment and truth to be told, Monica did want to be there to hear that piece of good news.

"Andrew is a very good patient and put in a lot of effort in his recovery, doctor." She informed, proud of her dear valentine.

"Oh, I totally believe it!" The old man made a few notes in his appointment book and then smiled at the couple. "Well, Andrew, you're free from the crutches. Though you should be cautious when you step; you cannot run a marathon yet, but so far I can say you're free to take a beautiful lady out to the dance!"

Dr. Stevens winked at his patient and Andrew replied with a smile, daring to look at Monica as if checking if she was comfortable with the man's little joke. And he could not be more pleased to see the hint of a smile on her beautiful face as well.

When they left hospital, now walking side by side, there was an atmosphere of relief but also with uncertainty in the air. Andrew still had to take care of his physical condition, his human body had not totally healed even though medical assistance was not needed any longer. And that meant one thing...

"You've been awfully quiet since we left hospital." Andrew spoke, not managing to take his eyes from her: she was absolutely gorgeous under the afternoon sun; her hair cascaded over her shoulders almost up to her waist in an auburn glow, framing her beautiful face where he could study every delicate feature, perfectly shaped by God Himself. Her rosy lips and cheeks, the straight nose and jaw bones, the way she bit her lower lip in apprehension as she thought about a reply to his remark.

"I was thinking that... that I'm happy for you, you see. You've been through hard times in the last couple of months and now you are practically fully recovered."

"And I'm grateful for that."

Monica let out a sad sigh. "I guess my assignment is finished then..."

"Exactly. And I'm grateful for that too."

She stopped her walk abruptly at his words. The look on her face was one of shock and it would turn to be one of disappointment too if Andrew had not concluded his thought.

"You've done so much for me, Monica. You've been at my side all this time, taking care of me and making sure I was alright." He took her hand in both of his. "There is no way I can repay you, but there are some places I would like to take you and I just couldn't because of those silly crutches and wheelchair."

Saying this, he hailed a cab that was passing by and as the driver pulled over, he turned to her again. Monica eyed him with an adorable mix of confusion and relief and Andrew could not resist touching her cheek with his fingertips. "Do you think you can be ready in two hours?"

"R-ready? I'm sorry, I don't understand, Andrew..."

"I'll pick you up at your apartment. There's a restaurant downtown I'd like to take you. It's nothing overly sophisticated; it's simple but elegant and there's a lovely view to the ocean."

The Irish angel didn't know what to do apart from accepting his invitation; it was painful to be near him knowing that he did not remember her, but it would be twice more painful to be away from him as their future seemed uncertain now. Since the accident with Andrew and his consequent memory loss, time on Earth had passed terribly slowly to her. Amazingly on that day, it seemed to fly and the two-hour term Andrew had established was soon over.

He stood by her door precisely at 7 o'clock that evening, not too elegantly dressed but charming in his khaki pants, white polo shirt and brown leather shoes. A small bouquet with perfumed lilacs rested in his hands. Monica could not help eyeing him with admiration and tenderness – her dear Andrew's human form would always elicit a sigh of wonder from her. And with Andrew it wasn't different: his sweet friend was wearing a lovely v-necked dark green dress that went up to her knees and beige sandals with medium heels that made her a little taller. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail but some of its strands were loosen around her face and ears, leaving him to contemplate her pretty face and joyful eyes that were sparkling back at him.

While he thought that he was making progress on an assignment, Monica hoped that his memory was giving signs of recovery.

"Good evening!" he said, his boyish smile making her heart swell with love.

"Good evening, Andrew... I think I'm ready..." came her soft reply.

"And I'm fortunate to have such a beautiful companion!"

She tilted her head and eyed him with affection, the smile never disappearing from her face. When Andrew offered the little bouquet with lilacs, Monica had to make extra effort not to cry. "They are lovely... thank you."

"What did I tell you about 'thank you's'?"

"I don't think no one can meet you and not thank you at least once." She said, with utmost sincerity.

The night started tense for both of them. Monica held hopes that their date would trig some flashback, that it would make his memory return at some point, but at the same time she feared everything could be in vain and that he could spend years living among humans without remembering his story. Andrew, on the other hand, was expecting nothing more than her allowing him to be part of her life; there was nothing in the world that could make him happier other than to see that beautiful and sweet human being smiling back at him, with no sadness in those pretty brown eyes.

They arrived at the restaurant a while later, and their table was set outdoors, on a deck from which there was a lovely view to the ocean. There were no clouds in the sky and it was filled with twinkling stars, and a full moon compensated the absence of the sun; there was soft breeze and the crashing of the waves at a distance melted with the soft music in the air. A perfect summer night made their initial worries vanish and the conversation flow like it always would whenever they were together.

"The smell with the ocean mixed with the flowers reminds me of my beloved Ireland." She let out a sigh, looking at the night sky with a dreamy eyed expression.

Andrew was suddenly worried. "I hope it doesn't bring sad memories."

"Oh, no. No, it doesn't. Actually, I pray to be back there soon..." she was imagining a day when he would remember who he was and the story they shared.

"It might bring you great memories, judging by this smile on your face."

"It does. And I hope that someday those memories become more than memories."

He was going to say something but the soft melody that was playing in the background was replaced by a lovely song and some couples saw in it an invitation to start dancing.

The two angels in human form watched it and Andrew offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

There was no second thought, no 'what if's', not the sadness of their forgotten story. When he made the invitation, all she could do was to take his proffered hand and let him guide her along the hall. The Irish angel was following her nature by allowing him to take the lead and conduct her.

Her instincts conducted her, and they would always lead her to Andrew. He could not remember their story right now, but at least she would have an opportunity to relive the emotion of being in his arms once again. Reality was too painful at the moment, so Monica decided to close her eyes and imagine they were the two angelic soul mates who once found themselves completely in love. The Irish angel had noticed he was accomplishing an assignment or if that she saw in his emerald eyes was his love for her, so deep that not even a memory loss could erase.

Andrew twirled her around and felt the most grateful creature in the universe as she smiled at him, two souls connected in one loving emotion. When she faced him once again, Andrew wrapped his arm around her waist while his hand held Monica's and they swayed gracefully along the hall. minutes later, they were experiencing the unification of their souls.

And all of a sudden that connection grew even stronger, up to the point of making them stop dancing and just stare at each other, speaking through silence the language they both knew so well. Like nature following its course, Andrew's eyes surveyed every small feature of her meek face. Those sweet brown eyes were gazing back at him with an extra spark, a mix of enchantment and joy. Her beautifully shaped eyebrows slightly raised, rosy cheeks flushed due to the dance and to excitement; equally rosy lips slightly open, dangerously claiming his own like an invitation he could never refuse.

And the power of Andrew's gaze was so intense that it prevented Monica to react against it. She had already considered his interest on her could be much more than just his wanting to help a child of God. But at the same time, she wondered if it was right to allow their relationship to grow deeper while he still could not remember a part of his past. But then again, who was she to fight against the daily will to hold and kiss him, to be in his arms and tell him about her love?

On the following moment, Andrew dared to cross the small distance between them and their gaze only broke as his lips touched hers, softly and tenderly at first. Monica's eyes were closed and she sighed, it had been such a long time since they last kissed and she missed him terribly, nearly painfully.

Andrew slightly bent over and deepened their kiss as Monica reached out to touch his handsome face, letting herself fall into his tender and warm embrace as that sweet caress went on. He knew it was forbidden love, but it was now binding and real and so strong that the angel of death just hoped his loving Father could forgive his incapacity to stop wanting Monica with every fiber of his being. The avalanche of loving emotions was inevitable, nearly automatic.

Andrew gently placed his hand against her cheek and their loving kiss ended as slowly as it had started. The Irish angel stood slightly trembling before him and stared at his face with a mix of apprehension and fear he could only partially understand. Had that kiss managed to trigger a flashback of their love?

"Monica... I... I wish I could say that I'm sorry but...the truth is that I'm not. There's... there's something... many things I want to tell you and... I'll ask you to please allow me to..."

A tear fell down her face as she realised that everything remained the same – he hadn't remembered who she truly was nor the love story they shared together. He didn't remember little Angela, who was certainly missing his loving presence by her side, playing with her and her little toys or rocking her to sleep while telling her a bedtime story, even if she was still too little to understand.

"I'm so sorry..." her crying voice broke his heart. She gave a step back, disentangling from his arms as her hand wiped away the tears that immediately fell from her sad doe-like eyes. He was desperate.

"Monica, please..."

"I'm sorry, Andrew..."

She turned away from him and left the restaurant in a rush; Andrew tried to reach her but she took the cab that was standing right in front of the restaurant.

The angel let out a disappointed sigh and ran a hand through his short blond hair as his steps ceased. Had he acted wrongly? Was it fair to love a mortal like the way he did? If he wasn't allowed to have this feeling, then why being with Monica seemed so natural and so right?

Andrew didn't return to the small cottage where he was staying at thanks to Mrs Dockery's generosity. He would have to leave that place eventually anyway and right now a walk on the deserted beach would help him to reflect about everything that was going on. The good weather helped and the moon and the stars illuminated the path ahead of him as the waves crashed at a safe distance. Andrew stopped for a moment and contemplated the darkness of the sea, and wondered how Monica could love the ocean so much considering her fears towards great masses of water.

"Good to see you've recovered, buddy."

Adam's voice took him out of his reverie, and he turned to face his angelic friend.

"I wish I could be glad about it too."

"Problems, I suppose..." he started, aware that his friend and co-worker hadn't recovered his memory.

"I wouldn't call it a problem. But it's complicated..."

"Where's Monica?"

"She went back home. And although I'm struggling not to go up there and check on her and tell her everything I need, I'll remain here because I don't think it's such a good idea considering the last time we spoke."

"Did you two argue?"

"No." He turned his eyes from the ocean to look at his friend. "I love her, Adam. Just as simple as that. As if not loving her wasn't an option. As if the fact that I'm an angel wasn't relevant. As if it wasn't forbidden. As if it was part of my nature."

"And she didn't react the way you expected..."

"Monica ran away from me. We kissed. I kissed her. I dared to. And now I'm standing here wondering if it's right of me to ask for her love, if it's fair with her, despite the fact that I'm ready to drop of my function as an angel of death just to stay by her side here on Earth for as long as she lives."

The other angel was amazed to witness such a strong love; deeper than anything he had ever seen before in his long existence.

"What does your heart tell you, Andrew?"

"That... our existences are connected... It tells me that in order to be who I am I need her by my side. Otherwise, I'd be just half of the creature I was meant to be."

"If this is how you feel, then you don't need to stand here with all those questionings torturing your soul. Go to her, Andrew! Go and tell her about your love!"

The blond angel stared at his co-worker rather shocked. "You don't think it's wrong? That being an angel I shouldn't want a human being the way I want Monica?"

"Well, first of all, I'm not here to judge anyone, Andrew. Especially a friend. And secondly... who am I to underestimate and take for granted something that I do not understand but which I can see written on your face?"

Andrew nodded his head with a look of gratitude. "Thanks. I never thought I'd feel this way for another living creature. And... it all happened so fast. It seems that these feelings were already here in my heart."

"Maybe this is what they call a 'soul mate'!"

"I'm afraid that our superiors won't see it as nicely and won't be as supportive when they find out. Thanks for not judging."

"You just try to focus on Monica, buddy. Leave the rest for later, ok? The most important is that you two need to talk."

"I'll go to the hospital first thing in the morning. Her shift starts at 8 but I know she gets there a bit earlier."

"I hope... that everything is cleared in the end." The angel of death spoke, and on the following moment, Andrew was alone again, left to his own devices and dreams about the sweet Irish lady who stole his angelic heart.

X

When Andrew left his temporary home on the following day he could not imagine how difficult it would be for him to get at the city hospital. The streets were crowded with cars and traffic was moving slowly in that small tourist town. The blond angel wondered why it was happening in the middle of the week on a regular working day.

"It must be some problem with the traffic lights!" the cab driver spoke.

But as he got closer to the hospital, Andrew could see the giant cloud of black smoke crossing the blue sky.

"Oh, no..." he whispered, in shock and disbelief.

"Oh, man, it seems to be a fire!"

The driver was right. Andrew had seen something like that before, during some assignments, and unfortunately his presence there was much needed. He paid the driver and left the car, passing between other cars in a hurry, as if fighting to get at the hospital. All those people who were in there, either working or under medical care, had to be safe; most importantly, Monica had to be safe.

When the blond angel arrived there, he held his head with both hands, desolation and despair written over his face as the destruction was much worse than he thought. The firefighters had just arrived and were preparing to enter the building and start putting off the fire that grew in long flames. Andrew's human heart was racing as he knew that it was there that Monica worked. He grew closer and started a frantic search for his dear Irish lady among the injured people who lay everywhere, receiving the first aid.

"Monica! Monica! Please, sir, I'm looking for a friend... Her name is Monica, she works in the hospital!" He spoke to anyone who stood on his way.

"She's in there!" A woman finally informed, holding a little boy to herself as the child waited to have superficial cuts treated.

"What? She... She's still inside?" Andrew felt as if the ground had disappeared from under his feet.

"This girl... she seems an angel sent by God Himself..." the woman explained, tears of emotion falling from her eyes. "She saved so many children when the fire started... I guess all the ones who were in the sector, including my son. It... it seems that one little girl was missing and she got back in there to try to look for her but it's been too long since she entered, it was before the firefighters arrived and now... now the fire is much higher..."

Andrew had to act, it was Monica's life which was in danger now and the mere thought of her hurting was enough to fill his heart with anguish and utmost fear.

"Please, Father, allow me to find her alive... Please, keep her safe and guide my steps..." he whispered as he got closer to the building. But a man from the fire brigade stopped him.

"Sir, you cannot pass, please, stay away."

"No, you don't understand, I know someone who is in there, her name is Monica, she's still inside!"

But the man held him. "Please, stay back, we'll take care of her!"

"No! Please, let me help, I need to get to her!"

The firefighter was going to ask for help in order to stop the blond man who was forcing his way into the building, but the sudden noise of walls collapsing in the other side of the building made him give up blocking Andrew's way and rush to help his colleagues. The angel in human form saw in it a chance to act and went towards the sector where Monica used to work. The smoke and the flames made it difficult to see something ahead of him, but he kept calling Monica's name out loud, walking fast along the corridors and through doors, his green eyes scanning every small corner of the building hoping to see the auburn lady.

But then, something strange started to happen. Along with the fire and smoke, images of a past he did not remember started to play on his mind. Monica smiling at him, giggling as he held her tightly and lifted her feet off the ground while she wrapped her arms around his neck. They were dancing and then he kissed her lips.

The angel of death stopped his walk for a moment. Where were those images coming from?

A wood beam consumed by flames fell right in front of him and made him focus on his current mission: to rescue Monica. But then, as he advanced along the hospital, new images kept on crossing his mind: he and Monica on a beach, rather similar to the one he was staying at, walking hand in hand and then teaching her how to swim, telling her not to be afraid. Then at night, they were exchanging passionate kisses. Andrew frowned as the image of them making love crossed his mind. Of him promising Monica eternal love. And then a baby girl's smile at him. He was holding her in one arm, while the other remained wrapped around Monica's small shoulders.

"Please, somebody help!"

Monica's crying voice reached his ears and at that very moment, everything became clear to him. His precious angelic soul mate needed him. "Angel..." he whispered, and an invisible force led him up to a small room, whose door was blocked by a concrete bar, probably fallen from the ceiling. He could also hear a child crying and imagined it was the little girl that his beloved Monica had vowed to rescue. It had certainly reminded her of their sweet little Angela.

"Hold on, angel! I'm coming!" he shouted from outside. A few moments later, the door was open and he found a very scared five-year-old and an unconscious angel in human form on the floor.

"It's ok, sweetie... I'm gonna take you both out of here, okay?" he said, trying to calm the little girl. And his angelic presence did manage to make her stop crying.

A nervous crowd outside witnessed as Andrew left the building carrying Monica in his arms and a little girl held his arm.

"Oh, my God, it's a miracle!" Shouted one of the nurses who waited outside.

As the paramedics rushed towards them, they immediately placed Monica on a stretcher – she was hurt, there were some cuts on her forehead and arms, and she had certainly inhaled too much smoke. "You'll be alright, angel... I'll take care of you like you took care of me, baby... And then we can go back to our precious little Angela and spend some time together at our beach... just the three of us..." he whispered through her ear, as she was placed in an ambulance.

X

On the following day...

Monica's eyes opened slowly and then shut a second later due to the light that suddenly hurt them. But when she felt a gentle hand holding hers and a familiar voice calling her name she became bolder and opened her eyes once again. Andrew's handsome face was the first clear image she saw and he was caressing her hair and talking to her.

"Hey... here you are..." he whispered, tenderly caressing her cheek, looking at her with utmost affection.

"Andrew..." She tried to speak.

"I spent the whole night here just waiting for you to open your eyes... angel..."

His last word caused her eyes to grow wide with surprise and shock. Was he using the term of endearment he used to call her? Was he looking at her the way he used to whenever they met again after a long assignment?

He saw her reaction and smiled. "Yes, baby. I'm back to you and to our little angel..."

Tears of emotion rolled down her face as she heard him.

"Oh, Andrew... I missed you so much! So incredibly much!"

The tears soon became sobbing and on the following moment, Andrew was holding her tightly and carefully, his hands permanently on her hair, caressing the long auburn tresses. "Shh... It's okay, angel... Please don't cry..."

She was going to say something else, but a terrible thought crossed her mind and made her pull away. "The little girl? What happened to-"

"She's fine, angel. You took her out of the room where she was; the entire sector was destroyed. But then you two got stuck and couldn't return from where you had previously come from."

"This... this was when you found us?"

"Yes. And I have no doubt that our Father led me to you... the feeling of you in great danger trigged flashbacks and made my memory return."

Monica bit her lower lip as another silent tear made its way down her cheek. "I thought I could spend centuries without you by my side."

"Oh, Monica... That would never happen, sweetie."

"Well... those days you could not remember were like centuries..." she spoke, feeling suddenly exhausted from the extra effort.

He helped her lie down and kissed her forehead. "I know... and I'm sorry for that, angel... I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for you..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Andrew. It was not your fault..." she replied, feeling sleepy due to the medication.

"I want you to rest now, okay? You inhaled smoke and cut your arm. The doctor said if everything goes well you'll be released tomorrow." He kissed her hand. "I told him I'll watch over you now!"

The way he winked at her placed a small smile on her face. A minute later, she was already sleeping again.

X

Later on that same day...

Andrew kept on walking from one side to another in the corridor of the hospital. Hands tugged in his pockets, the blond angel had an look of impatience on his face as he seemed to wait for something to happen. But his anxiety was soon over as he heard a familiar voice.

"Angel boy..."

Tess came along the corridor towards him, carrying in her arms another angel he loved with all his heart and soul besides Monica. Little Angela's smile at him was moving, and so was the way she opened her little arms ready to wrap them around her daddy's neck. On the following minute, he was holding her tightly, kissing the top of her head and stroking the thin wisps of auburn hair that resembled her mother's.

"Daddy..." she spoke, her little dimples visible as she kept on smiling at him.

"Oh, sweet little angel... Daddy missed you so much, baby..."

"Thank you, Father..." Tess whispered, watching as little Angela tried to speak incomprehensible words that seemed to make all the sense in the world to Andrew.

"How is she, Andrew? How is my angel girl?" The oldest angel wanted to know.

"She's recovering, Tess. Thanks to the Father, I managed to take her from the building on time." He informed, "Come on in, I feel she's waking up."

X

When Monica opened her eyes again it was already afternoon. She looked around her and saw that the bedroom was empty. Frowning, she slowly moved to sit down in bed, which caused her arm to ache a little. Where was Andrew? She had spoken to him early in the morning, but now he had left. A sudden and scary thought crossed her mind and made her heart jump with apprehension: had she dreamed that he had recovered his memory?

But her questionings did not last for long as a movement on the door knob ceased her doubts.

"Guess who is here to visit her mom..."

Andrew's voice and the image of their baby daughter in his arms and smiling broadly at her brought tears of joy and emotion to her eyes. Much slower than what she wanted, Monica sat down on her bed and as Andrew carefully deposited Angela in her arms, she held her tightly.

"Oh, wee Angela... What a wonderful surprise you made to your mommy!"

"Fower!" the little girl spoke, holding up a small daisy and wanting Monica to take it.

"A flower for me? Oh, sweetie, thank you very much! This is such a lovely gift!" she said, kissing Angela's chubby little hand. Then she looked up at Andrew and saw in his eyes the joy reflected in her own.

"I have so much to thank the Father..." Tess spoke, "You're all together again..."

"Tess... I'm so happy to see you here..." the Irish angel reached out to hold the supervisor's hand.

"And I'm happy to know you are all fine now, angel girl. You're all my babies and I loathe to think that any of you is exposed to any risk in this human form... I feel... like a mother without news from her children!"

Monica and Andrew exchanged a moved and slightly amused glance as the oldest angel sniffled. Andrew wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"Auntie Tess!"

Angela's sing-song voice finally made them laugh, the first spontaneous and genuine laughter in nearly three months, when they had to go separate ways in order to fulfil the Father's work.

X

A few days later...

Monica was sitting on a towel laid on the soft sand of a far away beach; _her_ beach. A secluded place where she and her angelic family used to go whenever they were on Earth but not on assignment. A fire had been lit up a little earlier and now the flames danced in the air, sending away the darkness of the night. Her surroundings were nearly deserted if it weren't for the small house just a few feet behind her and its inhabitants. With a dreamy eyed expression, she observed the sky, filled with sparkling dots that shed their light millions of miles away across the universe. She let out a contented sigh, enjoying the warm summer breeze.

A minute later, she felt a gentle presence coming closer to her and didn't even need to look back to know that it was her beloved Andrew. Barefoot, he sat down next to her and stroked her auburn locks, which were illuminated by the firelight, making her look almost ethereal.

"I knew someday I would manage to convince you how good it feels to walk around without this human beings' invention."

Chuckling, he nodded his head. "Well, you know there's nothing you can ask me that I can possibly deny!"

Monica finally turned to look at him, keeping the slight smile on the corner of her lips. "Did she take too long to fall sleep?"

"Nah... Fell asleep in my arms just when I was telling her about the first time Alice sees the rabbit!" he happily informed.

They both laughed but little by little Andrew's face became serious. "I cannot believe I erased you two from my mind..."

"You didn't erase us!" she was quick to cut him off, shocked at the guilt written in his eyes.

"It feels like I did."

Monica took his hand in both of hers, eyeing him with emotion. "Andrew, do not torture yourself because it wasn't your fault. You suffered an accident, a very serious one! But because of you, many children were saved, an old lady had a chance to redeem herself and to prove how generous she could be!"

"You were there with me all the time... despite all the suffering it caused you." He took her hand to his lips as she tilted her head.

"I was where I was supposed to be!"

"All that happened to me, to us, had another consequence besides the ones you listed just now..."

"What was it?"

"It served to prove that even if I had never seen you before... even if you were human, I still would have fallen in love with you, angel."

She caressed his face, touching his jaw with delicacy as a smile returned. "Would you call me 'angel' too? I don't think I could exist without hearing you say that..."

Also smiling, he shortened the distance between them and captured her lips in a long, languid kiss he had been waiting for for a long time. This time there was not the tension of the latest weeks between them, the fear of her rejection as well as the sadness caused by his lack of memory were in the past now; Andrew kissed her freely and lovingly and his affection was not only welcomed but returned with the same intensity.

Their kiss lasted for a small eternity, but the two angels in human form knew it would be the first of many on that starry night.

"When I went to the hospital in the morning of the fire, I was going to tell you that I'd stay by your side..." he spoke, once they pulled away; forehead rested on hers. "I was going to tell you that I'd fight for your love and put an end to all that suffering I could see in your eyes and which I could not understand. Little did I know I was the reason to your sorrow."

Monica let out a small sob as a lonely tear fell from her face. "Oh, no... That you would never be. I would have waited for you, Andrew, as painful as it would have been." She pulled away and looked into his soft green eyes. "I would have loved you too, even if you could not remember our past... Because we are a whole..."

"Kindred spirits, humans would say."

He kissed her lips again, softly now, taking his time to take to memory all the times his lips touched her soft skin. Andrew kissed her eyes and forehead as his fingers entangled her long auburn tresses. And once again he captured her lips, holding her tightly against him as if never letting her escape. Monica's slender fingers caressing his short blond hair on the back of his neck, the way she welcomed his caresses and put herself under his care only increased his passion and filled his heart with the deepest love.

"Wee Angela..." Monica murmured, in between kisses, not trusting herself to think properly.

"She's just a few feet from us. And we'll know if she wakes up." He replied, making a trail of kisses against her shoulder skin.

Smiling and closing her eyes, Monica nodded her head. "You're right... and I doubt she will anyway... she must be having the sweetest dreams by now..."

"I feel like I am having the sweetest dreams by now too..." he joked, and her giggling was silenced by his lips capturing hers once again in a sequel of passionate kisses, a consequence of their painful separation for such a long time.

"I missed you so much..." he heard her whisper, almost with a crying voice still carrying the sorrow for having him so close and yet so distant.

The blond angel kissed her once again and his urgency contrasted with his infinite gentleness as he carefully lay her down on the white towel before proceeding in delivering tender caresses and passionate kisses. Monica held him tightly and tingled all over when a pleasant shiver ran through her human body as she gave in to feelings of passion. Andrew caressed her shoulders, then her neck and her entire body while he brushed his lips against hers for another deep passionate kiss. As both were intertwined, he reached his hand around the Irish angel pulling her closer to him. That night would be a night of peace, love and joy for the two angels in human form. Monica received Andrew with open arms, closing her eyes and feeling him as he moved against her, careful not to put his full weight on her. Their forms danced like flickering flames in that warm summer night intertwined in each other's love and the angels were aware that they still had the eternity to make up for the time they had been away.

X

To be continued


	59. Candy shop

Angel of mine series

Episode 59: Candy shop

The ten-year-old boy watched with downcast eyes as his father left home early in that morning. Once again, the man had broken his promise to stay with him – it was Saturday and the day was bright and beautiful. And most importantly, it was his birthday and Alan would trade any fancy present that his father's money could easily get him for a day spent at his side.

But his hopes were shattered when he saw Mr Sheppard enter the car that had been waiting outside. It would be a day with the employees of the big house and his dog, Spark, as his mother had passed away a few years before, leaving a lonely little boy and a broken-hearted widower behind.

The beautiful golden retriever came closer to his master and gave a small bark, as if calling for his attention.

"You wanna play outside, don't you?" the boy spoke, gently stroking the dog's soft fur.

The animal kept on looking at him as if replying to his master's question.

"It's ok, buddy. I won't disappoint you. Let's go!"

In the blink of an eye, the dog stood up from where he was sitting and followed Alan down the stairs.

X

"This is a lovely candy shop, isn't it wee one?" Monica spoke, as she walked along the corridors of a huge shop filled with colourful candies, holding another angel in her arms. Angela was as enchanted as her mom as she captured each bright and lively details of the decoration around her with sparkling green eyes. The two angels in human form were together with a group of tourists that were visiting the biggest candy shop of the little town not too far from Utah. On Earth and after finishing a quick assignment, Monica thought about spending some quality time with her precious little one and do some of the things human beings used to do whenever they were reunited with their family members.

The only thing that the Irish angel resented was the fact that her beloved Andrew was not with them for the occasion. He had been called earlier and was somewhere in this world, fulfilling their Father's plans and helping His children.

Following the group, Monica placed her little daughter on the floor for a while, as Angela could already give some short steps towards everything that raised her toddler's curiosity. The angel, however, remained holding her tiny hand in hers as they passed by shelves filled with all sorts of candies and listened to the guide's explanations of how that shop had been founded over a hundred years before and become the most famous in the entire country.

At a certain moment, Monica felt that Angela was pulling at her hand and pointing towards something that was on the opposite direction where the group was heading to.

"Hey, wee one, what is it?" her mother wanted to know, kneeling in front of her so they could be at the same level.

"Fwog..." Angela replied, with a sing-song cute voice and enthusiasm.

Monica frowned a little confused. "A frog? No, sweetie, there is no frog in here..." she said, but the words died in her mouth as she saw a huge banner with a chocolate frog, introduced by a wide-eyed green one, who was elegantly dressed in a suit and wearing a top hat.

"Fwog..." the little angel repeated, still pointing at the picture on the wall.

Giggling, Monica nodded her head in understanding. "Oh, I see! Yes, it's Mr Frog, and he's quite dazzling today, isn't he?"

Angela turned her head and eyed her with a smile on her pretty face, accentuating the little dimples on her cheek and chin.

"Okay... Let's see if we can get one of these chocolates for today's dessert?"

Not really able to understand exactly what her mom was saying, little Angela kept on smiling as Monica gathered her in her arms again and walked towards the banner, certain to find a shelf filled with the frog-shaped chocolates. But a closer look revealed that they were over.

"Oh, wee one... I guess Mr Frog is quite popular!"

"Fwog, mommy..." she insisted, still pointing at the funny looking picture.

Monica let out a sigh and nodded. "Alright... Let's see if we can find him somewhere else..."

Long corridors, many turns and quite a few doors on a huge building could indicate two things: the grandiosity of the construction and the perfect place for a geographically challenged angel to get lost. It didn't take Monica more than a few minutes to realise that the group they once belonged to was nowhere to be seen and that she had no idea where she had come from; nor the way to the entrance gate.

"Excuse me..." she approached an attendant, who was also busy packing a huge load of candies on an entire set of shelves. "I'm afraid wee Angela here has become a fan of Mr Frog, but we're wondering where we can find more of it..."

"Oh, it's easy, ma'am. You see that corridor?" he pointed to the left and Monica nodded her head in understanding. "Well, just follow it and then turn on your right, and then left, and then right again. There will be a shelf filled with those right in front of you."

What the employee didn't notice was the confused look on the Irish lady's face. Biting her lower lip, Monica tried to process the information she had just received and nodded again. "Okay... thank you..."

She did as the man had explained her, but the angel started to realise she was not where she was supposed to be when instead of more shelves filled with candies, she found a corridor covered with a red carpet and walls that held pictures of the factory taken 50 maybe 60 years before. They showed a man in a suit in most of them, and she could see he grew older as the images became more modern.

"This might be Mr Sheppard, the man who founded this huge candy shop..." she spoke, placing Angela on the floor again. "Well, looking at it in the past and comparing it to now no wonder one can perfectly get a wee bit lost!"

They were standing not too far from the door at the end of the corridor and heard voices coming from there. "Mommy..." little Angela pointed at the door and then looked up at her mom with a smile.

"You think there's someone there who could help us to get the right path back to our group, don't you little one?" she told her daughter.

They walked along the velvet carpet up to the door and Monica was surprised when Angela raised her little arm and knocked at the door; the contact of her tiny hand with the wood was soft and hardly heard.

"Oh, wee Angela, you never cease to amaze me, sweetie..."

She had just said that when the door suddenly opened and a man with a not very pleased expression on his face stared at them. He was wearing a suit and bore a strong resemblance to the man in the pictures hanging on the wall.

"But who are you?" he wanted to know, eyeing them with slight arrogance.

"We... we were visiting the shop and got lost looking for Mr Frog..." Monica tried to explain, a little embarrassed.

"This is a restricted area. I cannot believe it my employees allowed a stranger to get in here!"

"Oh, they didn't see us, actually. They are all very busy and... you must be Mr Sheppard's son, the one who owns the shop now..." Monica spoke, not minding the visible annoyance on the man's face. "It's a lovely shop, and a precious inheritance... I'm certain that your children might love coming in here."

"I'm in the middle of a business appointment. I'll call someone to take you two out of here and to a proper place..." he said, turning his back on her and returned to the room, but before he could close the door, little Angela let go off her mother's hand and entered the room.

"Angela!" Monica spoke, immediately rushing to get her, aware of the fact that they had already disturbed the man twice more. But after she had just passed by the door and managed to grab the escaping little angel, Monica saw that she was in a meeting room and was surprised to see the one negotiating with Mr Sheppard.

"Daddy!" little Angela spoke, raising her arms to a very surprised Andrew.

"M-Monica? Angela?"

"Andrew?" Monica spoke, her lovely accent combining with the slight smile on her face as she saw her eternal valentine stand up from his chair and walk up to them. He raised his daughter in his arms.

"Hey, my little angel..." he spoke, kissing his daughter's forehead. "I could expect anyone in here but you two, angel..."

"Actually, wee Angela and I got a wee bit lost, you know... while touring around Mr Sheppard's shop..."

The blond angel managed to hide his chuckling at that piece of information as he bent down to kiss Monica's temple.

"Andrew... do you know them?" the man wanted to know, demanding an explanation for such a brusque interruption.

"Yes, Mr Sheppard. These are my wife Monica and our daughter, Angela."

"Oh... well, I didn't imagine you had called them here, Andrew..." Mr Sheppard spoke, shaking hands with Monica, but still with a very serious face.

Noticing that Andrew didn't know what to say, Monica spoke again. "Oh, actually Andrew didn't call us here, Mr Sheppard. You see, I knew he was on an assignment... I mean, that he was working and I would never interrupt him, as... well, I'm not in this assignment myself..." she made a pause, trying to organise her thoughts as not to speak more than she should. "The truth is that as Andrew wasn't home I thought about taking wee Angela here for an outing and I heard of this tour to your candy shop. And during our visit, Angela saw that chocolate with a frog face and she loves frogs, so we started to search for it and ended up a bit lost..."

The man let out a small sigh and nodded. "I know which candy you are talking about... My son... he loves it too." Mr Sheppard's voice trailed off as the memory of the little boy all alone in the mansion, and he did not notice it when Monica and Andrew exchanged a look of complicity, realising that her being there could have a reason.

But then the blond angel spoke again."Well, I guess then you ended in the right place, angel. I had kept two of these chocolates as I knew our little one here would love them..." still holding Angela in his arms, he searched for something inside his suitcase under the curious and attentive look of his angel baby. "Here we are!" he said, giving the two funny looking bars to Angela, who smiled at him in a way that melted his heart for the hundredth time.

"See, wee Angela? We should never give up!" her mother spoke, kissing her rosy cheek. "It's time to go now as we've already bothered Mr Sheppard too much!"

"Mr Sheppard, if you allow me, I'll take them back to the shop."

"Oh, that's fine, Andrew. I'll wait here."

The blond angel came closer to the man and turned to his daughter. "Hey, sweetie, say goodbye to Mr Sheppard!"

And Angela, in her sweet manners, ended up surprising everyone again. With a broad smile on her cute face, she reached out and offered the man one of the chocolates she was holding.

Mr Sheppard managed a slight, embarrassed smile, not knowing what to do. "Oh, th-thanks, young lady, but you can take them with you..."

But Monica gave one step ahead and stroked the baby's soft auburn hair. "I think it's her way to tell you that your son will love it if you take him one of these..." she and Andrew exchanged another quick look, and watched as the man finally accepted the candy from Angela's hand.

"It's... it's okay... Thank you, Angela. It's very nice of you..." he said, feeling quite moved when the little girl looked at her parents with pleading eyes, as if asking for their approval to her kind gesture.

They left his office with Andrew still carrying Angela in his arms.

"He must be your assignment... I'm sorry we interrupted you..." the Irish angel spoke, slightly embarrassed as they walked along the corridor.

With a smile on the corner of his lips, Andrew nodded his head, secretly finding her clumsy manners rather adorable.

"Well, I guess your being here isn't a complete accident, angel..." He said, and then looked at Angela, "And neither is yours, little angel!"

"So you were under the same impression too? That Mr Sheppard needed our presence for a reason?" Monica spoke, after one more of Angela's cute smile.

"Yep. And I also guess that little Angela here has just accomplished an assignment!"

Laughing, but aware of the importance of that moment, the angels walked on until Andrew finally found the group of tourists that his two precious angel girls had once belonged to.

"Here we are!"

Monica tilted her head and eyed him with admiration. "The way you always find the way back always amazes me!

He stroked her cheek with tenderness. "Well... I'll always find the way back if I know I'll meet you there..."

Despite his sweet words, there was some sadness in her eyes. "Do you know when you'll be able to stay with us for a while?"

"I'm not sure, angel... it'll depend on Mr Sheppard's ability to see that life is more than just making money."

"Well, considering where we are and what we've seen here, I understand it's not an easy task."

Andrew carefully passed Angela to Monica and kissed her rosy cheek. "You enjoy the rest of the touring with your mommy, okay sweetie? I love you and I promise I'll be with you as soon as I can."

He looked at Monica now and gently lay his hand against her face. "I love you."

"I know..." she bit her lower lip and reached for his eyes. "I'll be waiting for you."

Andrew bent his head and brushed her lips against hers, in a sweet and brief caress that was just a mere reminder of the love that brought them together. He still kissed her forehead and returned to the same path back to Mr Sheppard's room.

When the blond angel got there, however, he didn't find the businessman analyzing thousands of reports on the latest sales. Mr Sheppard was standing by the window, still holding the chocolate that Angela had so gently offered him.

"You have a beautiful family." He said, not looking back at his interlocutor.

"Thank you, sir."

"Watching you with your daughter and wife reminded me of a time I had almost forgotten. When Alan's mother was alive I used to bring them in here and play with Alan for a while, like a break from work." He finally turned around. "And I clearly remember having one of these chocolates in my suitcase because I knew he would ask me for it."

"Children are amazing, aren't they? They can make you feel like a hero who will solve all the problems in this world, fight monsters that haunt their sleep and teach them the most amazing things in the world."

He smiled and nodded his head, looking at the small bar of chocolate in his hands and remembering Alan.

It was then that Andrew came closer, with hands tugged in his pockets and aware that that was the moment he had been waiting for during all the days he had spent by the man's side. And it had been little Angela who made things easier by showing up there with her geographically-challenged mother. "But they grow up. And if you didn't love them the way they should have been loved, then the image they once had of their parents is shattered to pieces."

"You are right... You are perfectly right..."

"I'm glad you agree, Mr Sheppard. Because once you realise it, childhood is over and the only thing you'll have to hold on to are the good memories you and your son will share. These memories are precious."

The man remained in silence for a while, as Andrew purposefully walked back to his desk and started to pull out more papers from his suitcase. "Shall we continue?"

Mr Sheppard finally looked at him, a moved expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Andrew. I... I shouldn't be here right now. Watching you with your little daughter, with your family... I realised how unfair I have been with Alan..."

"He's ten. There is still time." Was the angel's answer.

A while later, a wide eyed boy watched in disbelief as his father's car crossed the gates of the mansion. Mr Sheppard greeted him with open arms and announced that they would spend not only his birthday together but the whole weekend. Alan couldn't have asked for a better present.

X

At the end of that afternoon, Monica ate a spoonful of ice cream while sitting on the sofa and watching a romantic movie on TV. She and wee Angela were staying at a cosy yellow house not far from the city as the Irish angel had been granted with the weekend off. But it had been a busy day for the little girl and she ended up taking a nap not a while ago. Her mom, for herself, felt rather bored with no one to talk to. Tess was away on assignment and she had no idea when her dear Andrew would be there again.

She watched as the main couple was reunited again and sniffled as she grabbed another spoon filled with chocolate and vanilla. Oblivious to her, a pair of green eyes observed her for a few moments, enjoying her sweet childlike manners as she was now wearing a flannel pyjamas and funny looking socks.

But his contemplation did not last for long. It took only a few seconds before Monica felt his presence and turned around to see a smiling Andrew gazing back at her with his eyes filled with love.

"Andrew!"

She immediately put the ice cream pot aside and stood on her knees to receive a warm, tight embrace from her beloved one. And when they pulled away, it was just for a moment as Andrew bent down to lay a tender kiss against her lips, sweeter than ever and with a taste of vanilla.

And when it was over, he gently lay his hand against her face, the joy for being with his family again was evident in his eyes. "Looks like somebody is still enjoying the candy shop outing!" He joke, looking at the pot of ice cream left on the sofa.

Monica looked at herself rather embarrassed to be "caught" in that outfit and eating that huge cup of ice cream. "I... did not expect you to be here so soon..." she said, blushing a little and pulling away so to look at herself. "You... you should not see me like this..."

Chuckling, Andrew took her hand to his lips and then placed it against his heart. "Well, for your information, _Mrs_, you look rather cute in your pyjamas!"

Tilting her head, she eyed him with a slight smile and much tenderness. "I miss you so much, you know."

"We'll be together for the weekend."

"Really? What about your assignment with Mr Sheppard?" she wanted to know, eyes wide open at that piece of wonderful news.

Andrew pulled her to sit back on the sofa and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "It's over. And thanks to you and our little angel." He announced, kissing her temple. He went on telling her about the man and his son and how Angela's presence had reminded him of what was more important to him – the little boy he had at home.

Monica was moved to hear it. "As angels we know that there is a reason for everything, but I am always surprised at what the Father plans for his children. And how special our little one is in those plans."

"You're right, angel. And you see, when I was talking to Mr Sheppard I realised that I'm afraid of something..."

"Of what, Andrew?"

"Of Angela growing up without my presence... Sometimes... I spend so much time without seeing her... What I would give to stay closer to her... to you, angel..."

"Oh, Andrew..." she squeezed his hand in both of hers. "Angela was given to us as a great blessing and you are such a wonderful father to her... You know that it isn't the amount of time we spent with those we love but how we spend this time, and you... You are the most loving angel I have ever met..."

He managed a small smile and nodded. "I know I take every opportunity to be with her and you... But still, I wonder what it will be like when she grows up... I.. I want to be close to her, helping her when she needs me."

"And you will be, angel boy."

They looked at the door and saw their dear friend and supervisor standing there.

"Oh, Tess! It's so good to have you here too!" Monica exclaimed as the oldest angel walked up to be in front of them.

With her eyebrows raised, she observed Monica's outfit. "I see you were obviously not planning to go out!"

"Oh... well, actually I wasn't. Wee Angela fell asleep just now and I thought I would spend the evening alone but Andrew showed up and now you are here too..." she replied, visibly happy about their presence.

"I'm glad angel boy is here to make you company, baby, but I'm afraid I won't stay for too long. I still have an assignment to fulfil and it requires my full attention but I came here because I wanted to give you both this piece of news myself."

"What news, Tess?" Andrew wanted to know, sitting at the edge of the couch and staring at the supervisor with slight worry.

"About our sweet little angel girl who is fast asleep in that bedroom." There was a smile on her face as she spoke. "And I could not help hearing your conversation, Andrew, and your worries. But then I have to tell you that you will have your entire eternity to enjoy Angela's childhood."

"I'm... I'm afraid I don't get it..."

"Angela will grow up until she's seven years old."

The couple of angels were slightly confused. "Seven?" He spoke.

"Yes. It means that in the Father's perfect plan, she'll remain as a child and her innocence preserved along the years to come, as it is in this form that she will be sent to those in need. Just like she did today with Mr Sheppard and some other times before. The only angel who can truly see the world with nothing less than enchantment and naivety."

With a moved smile, Monica looked at Andrew, feeling the presence of tears in her eyes. "Our little angel, Andrew..."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple, also moved at the fact that he would be the father of an eternal innocent and adorable child. "I know whether she grew up or remained in a little girl form I would always see her as my little angel girl... But knowing this... that I'll be able to enjoy her childhood for the rest of my existence is... just like receiving another gift from the Father..."

"I understand what you're talking about, angel boy. A child always enlightens the atmosphere around her, especially an angel child!" Tess spoke again. "I was very pleased to hear it myself, as I know I'll have more time to teach her to sing!"

"Do you think she'll be able to join the choir like me, Tess?" Monica wanted to know, and did not notice it when the supervisor rolled her eyes and Andrew chuckled at that question.

"Yes, she will. And will make a very good singing angel like her auntie Tess, who, by the way, is leaving right now cause she still has an assignment to accomplish! You two have a good night and say goodnight to my angel baby!"

"We will, Tess!"

"Thanks, Tess, for delivering the message!"

They watched as on the following moment, the oldest angel was gone.

X

"I feel so full of joy, you know..." Monica let out a contented sigh, wrapped up in Andrew's embrace as they sat back on the couch. Some minutes of peaceful silence had passed as they still thought about that piece of news.

"Our little angel is very special..." Andrew finally spoke again, caressing Monica's hair.

"She really is, isn't she? Wee Angela has such a noble mission!"

The blond angel looked down at her and at every meek feature of her face. "You are very special too, angel..." he said at last, gazing at her with tenderness and eliciting a beautiful smile from his dear valentine.

"So are you to me and to wee Angela... after all, you make our world complete!"

Andrew couldn't wait much longer and did what he had been wanting to do since he had arrived there. Cupping her chin up, he brought his lips to hers as she closed her eyes in anticipation. That sweet caress was long and tender, and took another dimension as he tightened the hold around her small form and deepened the kiss.

"Andrew..." she whispered, recovering her breath as he made a trail of smaller kisses against her jaw.

"Hum?"

Sighing deeply, she rubbed her face against his and pulled away just a few inches so that she could look into his eyes. "Have I told you that I love you?"

The beautiful smile on her face only enchanted him even more. Andrew playfully touched her nose with his fingertip. "You tell me that every day, my beautiful angel..." Then, he pecked her lips and caressed her cheek. "But you can keep on telling me that some more times tonight..."

"Oh, Andrew..." chuckling and slightly blushed, she whispered his name, pronouncing it in that particular way that he would always treasure.

Another kiss followed, and Monica closed her eyes giving in to the wave of strong emotions that were taking over her heart and soul as her beloved angel tightened the hold around her and deepened their kiss. She gently stroked the back of his head and his short blond hair, feeling his heartbeat against hers; slender fingers that made his heart race with love and passion. When she opened her eyes, they were not at the living room any longer but in their own room, as Andrew had silenced transported them there like he usually did whenever they were together. There was just a faint source of light coming from a bedside lamp as they lay down in bed, satin sheets as soft as the Irish angel's skin as he kept on caressing her and listening to whispered loving words against his ear.

Words that he returned with promises of eternal love and with loving caresses that went on all night long; one more night which they would spend in human form, granted them as another precious gift, just like their love had been.

X

To be continued.


	60. Beautiful things

Angel of mine series

Episode 60: Beautiful things

_It's late at night and even the noisy city down there seems to have surrendered to exhaustion as now silence fills the urban atmosphere and gives it something that it lacks nowadays: peace. From the window of a small apartment on the 5__th__ floor, my temporary home, I watch the few lights that blink in the dark, faintly trying to copy the stars of a sky that we don't usually get to see in big towns. _

_It's easy for angels to transport themselves to a place and a time where they can have some peace and feel surrounded by beauty and much love. But years of experience as an angel of death taught me that even the smallest and simplest spots on this Earth can represent a small piece of heaven, like this small shelter I am currently using to fulfil my assignment._

_Angels are also granted with some free time, and as the night fell I returned to this humble house where my human form can rest for a few hours. David Norton, my current assignment, is a man whose beliefs have recently been shattered by the current economical situation. Do not misunderstand me. Mr Norton is not a man who saw his faith shaken when faced with a difficult situation. He is not the kind of human being who automatically raises compassion from his equals either. His money is all that he gave true importance along his life, and now that the adversities of life are forcing him to live with little – a lot less of what he is used to, all the other things that his money attracted are moving away as well, causing this man to have the false impression that frivolity and disregard are people's strongest traits._

_Like I said before, angels have the privilege of transporting themselves to any place they want to, or are needed to. But whenever I am on Earth, I usually take the opportunity to walk along the streets and observe humans. This is what I did when I left the office where I am Norton's temporary accountant. And along the way to my apartment, I wondered how I would teach this man that his mistaken way to see God's children is a consequence of his own nature, of a childhood without loving parents and filled with expensive toys and employees to do everything and anything he demanded? I wondered what argument would be powerful enough to make him realise that life is much more than actions in the market or than beautiful cars and women who approach him for what he has and not for what he is?_

_With a turmoil of different thoughts I finally arrive at the small building in a quiet street of Salt Lake's neighbourhood. And it is when I open its door that I realise the wonderful surprise that has been waiting for me._

_With a broad smile upon her beautiful face, my dear Monica greeted me with wide open arms, aware of my own surprise as I held her tightly. Her sweet perfume immediately invaded my lungs, and my heart was filled with great delight at hearing her soothing voice. Her Irish lilt echoed inside the small living room as she said my name in that endearing way that only she uses to._

_Although she was wearing "angel clothes," as she described the long white dress, with short sleeves, my beloved took her human form as soon as she got here, and now I dare to greet her with the urgency and intensity of a valentine who has not seen their beloved for a long time. I pulled away from her loving embrace and took my time to look at her face again, so beautiful, so meek and innocent that I wonder if every time I look at her and at those pretty brown eyes I get to fall in love again. I captured her smile with a kiss and when our lips collided, she returned my caress with the same affection. Monica tilted her head as an invitation for me to deepen our kiss, and I did not hesitate before applying some more gentle pressure on the back of her neck and parting her lips as our loving caress went on. _

_The human need to breath was a disadvantage then. As I reluctantly pulled away, Monica's smile returned, but I insisted on breaking it with a series of small kisses that covered her jaw, nose, cheeks and, once again, her lips. _

_Only when air became an issue again, I held her tightly to me, feeling her heart beating against mine as if reassuring our love is eternal. _

_And then without letting her go of my arms, I told her how much I missed her presence along the many days of my stay in this neighbourhood. I tell her that she and our precious Angela are in my thoughts all the time. _

_And as if her unexpected and joyful visit wasn't enough, she takes my hands and guides me up to the loveseat by the window. Then, she goes on telling me that Angela has learned a few more words, and that she asks about me. It cheers my heart at the same time it brings me some sadness as I'm not there to hold her tightly or play with her and her little toys. But Monica's sensibility soon detects it and she strokes my face, her smile never fading. _

_"Somewhere in her little heart, she knows her daddy is out there fulfilling his assignment as the Father's messenger, and that soon you'll be together again."_

_Monica always knew how to soothe my heart... In my somewhat selfish thoughts I wonder if perhaps this is one of the reasons why she was created. _

_"And her smile is more and more similar to yours! So beautiful!"_

_If my Monica wasn't an angel I would certainly say she was just being kind and not telling me the whole truth, as that little one is a miniature of her own form. This fact alone couldn't please me more. When I chuckle she notices I don't agree with her observations about Angela's features – one of the few things we disagree on, and then she insists that when our little angel grows a bit more she will acquire more of my characteristics._

_I end up the subject by kissing her lips softly once again and telling her how much I love her and our daughter. The recent news about Angela growing up until she is seven and then remaining as a child for the rest of eternity gives me the certainty that her innocence and meekness will only increase and the inevitable will happen: she will become a reflex of my beloved Monica. _

_The sweet warm-hearted angel who conquered my heart announced that she is there to take care of me while I am on Earth; her Irish lilt echoing through the depths of my soul and her smile hypnotising my eyes for the centuries to come. Not even the announcement that she has prepared me a special dinner has the power to distract me or make me worry. _

_It is the joy of having her with me that makes my heart rejoice, and while I hid my true feelings about the food, my dear Monica enchanted me by talking about our Home and our angelic friends, which I greatly miss too. Her concern for my well being is touching, as she kept on making questions about my being tired in this human form and offering to tidy up this temporary home and wash my clothes... I chuckled at her housewife role and she reprimanded me, saying that she was worried about me being all alone here on Earth._

_I love the way she frowns and the slight annoyance I can see in her eyes when I joke. It was the line I was expecting to capture her lips once again and with that kiss I felt that the annoyance faded away. _

"_What was wrong here, angel, was that you were not around..." I told her, cupping her face with both hands and looking deep inside her sweet brown eyes._

"_But I'll be gone by the beginning of the day..." she told me, her voice filled with worry._

_I gently silenced her by pressing my index finger against her rosy lips. "Let's not think about it. Not now..."_

_She nodded her head and I take the opportunity to kiss her again, long and deep, let my fingers entangle through her perfumed long hair and my arm encircled her small waist, bringing her closer to me once again. Her slender fingers caressing my hair as her body went limp under my touch are signs that dinner should be interrupted. I carried her in my arms to my bedroom – our bedroom._

_As passionate kisses went on, our human forms soon give in to what we call human love, a sacred union of bodies and souls involved in so much love that not rarely I see tears of emotion in those beautiful doe-like eyes. _

_Monica fell asleep in my arms, her head resting over my bare chest as I kept on placing soft kisses on the top of her head, caressing her long auburn tresses, never tired of breathing in their sweet wild flowers fragrance._

_I did not sleep, however. I knew that when the sun rose, my angel would have to leave so I wanted to make that moment last for the small eternity of a night without stars. I watch her now as she sleeps peacefully, sometimes murmuring my name or calling Angela and Tess to take a walk in the park. It amuses me and makes me happy, as I know she is having only sweet dreams._

_And the vision of her sleeping form, so beautiful and so quiet, made me think about my assignment. I am in a humble shelter, simple and poor and quite different from what David Norton is probably used to. But if Mr Norton could experience just a glimpse of the joy I feel right now, he would realise what the most important things in life are._

_Sadly, as I had predicted, the beautiful morning sun took my beloved angel away. Although I kissed her goodbye I know that soon she will be in my arms again, along with our beautiful little angel from God who fills our existence with joy. _

_My feet then took me to the man I have had contact with for nearly a month and as I meet him I feel sorry for the sadness that insists on remaining in his eyes._

_But then when he confronts me about what his life will be like from now on, I reveal my true nature and tell him that there is richness in simplicity and only when he opens his heart to accept it, he will have come to terms with the kind of life he leads now. _

_I also tell him to find friendship and love in the ones who have always been at his side, regardless the fact that he lost most part of his money. I mention Linda, his loyal secretary, who is constantly worried about his welfare. If my Monica was here she would certainly tell that the lady has always loved him and that he was too blind to find it out. I also mention his father, who he kept away even though the man is constantly trying to apologise for the mistakes he made when David was just a little boy. His friend, Mark, who David had always considered a crazy guy because he decided to drop the Economy school to become a vet, always offered him a comforting word. _

_One by one, I listed the people who God sent to be close to him at the most difficult hours. And then I saw the miracle happening: a man opening his eyes for the blessings his loving Father placed along his path. I told also him that nothing feels better than filling a humble house with all those precious treasures that surround us, because those are the ones that will matter when his life journey is accomplished._

_I left David to reflect upon the words I was in charge of transmitting and to my joy, on the way to the park I see an auburn haired angel holding an equally brunette little angel who is still trying to get her first steps right. My heart is filled again and I cannot measure my contentment as Monica lets go of Angela's tiny hand so that she can come towards me; a smile on her face as she calls me out to end up her short walk in my open arms. _

_Our sweet little angel is still learning the first words but it was then that I realised another adorable feature in her: she is acquiring her mother's accent and it couldn't please me more. When my sweet Monica comes towards me I hold her tightly and place a soft kiss against her lips. _

_Enjoying the gentle morning sun, we soon find out that my assignment has decided to come to the park as well. Linda is with him and he has dropped his impeccable Italian suit for the first time in years. _

_The miracle has been completed._

_X_

_To be continued_


	61. As you wish

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 61: As you wish

The angel in human form pressed the cappuccino machine button and watched with marvelled eyes as the fresh and creamy liquid was carefully poured in her large purple mug. After the last drop of hot foam fell from the machine, she smelled its particular aroma and finally took it to her lips. The angel closed her eyes with a slight hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth, tasting her favourite drink with a pleasure she only knew whenever she was in human form. Although being in that situation meant many drawbacks: the possibility of catching a cold, getting hurt or being exposed to any other physical danger, there were some advantages she could not imagine herself without any longer.

Her long auburn hair was tied up in a ponytail, emphasising the meekness of the perfect Gaelic features on her face. Bright brown eyes watched the movement of people coming in and leaving the beautiful eighteenth century building that sheltered the charming café she had been temporarily assigned to manage.

And she could not have asked for a better mission.

"With all this much coffee I wonder if it's getting difficult to focus on your assignment..."

The familiar voice that took her out of her reverie made her slight smile grow wider despite the evident criticism that came along with it.

"Oh, hullo, Tess!" Monica cheerfully greeted her friend and supervisor, who kept on staring at her with eyebrows raised and a serious expression on her face.

"And I also wonder if there is some of it left after two entire weeks of angelic intervention..." she replied, refusing with a smirk the cup that her charge gently offered.

Monica grinned shyly and slightly blushed. "It's not every day one gets free coffee granted along with their assignment, you know?"

The mischievous tone in her voice only made the supervisor more annoyed. "Well, it appears to me that coffee is the only thing that has been touched by an angel around here! Your assignment, a lady named Juliet Reyes, is still unhappy about a past we don't clearly know yet, and I can see no progress on this matter..."

The Irish angel's smile slightly faded and she looked at her attendant with worry. "I know... I've tried to bond with Juliet many times, Tess, but the truth is that she's not the kind of person who trusts people that easily. There are moments when I can feel her at ease and then when she talks about her wee son, Jimmy, are the only moments when there is a genuine smile on her face. I can still see much pain in her eyes, however."

Tess' face softened a little, as she knew that there wasn't a better angel for that job other than her dearest friend, and if Monica hadn't been able to help Juliet Reyes it meant that they were confronted with a rather complex assignment. "Well, the fact is that time is running out for her and you need to find out what has hurt her so badly in the past and deliver the message she needs to hear in order to move on with her life."

"I'll make a new attempt in the next opportunity I have..." Monica let out a tired sigh. "The problem is that Juliet and I have been working almost nonstop from the moment we open until the last customer leaves and there's little time for us to talk... I've placed an advertisement for a second waiter but so far nobody has applied." The angel explained.

The older angel frowned. "Yeah, I can see things are rather busy around here... I'm surprised at how tidied up this place is, though!"

"I've been doing the decoration at night, after we close." Monica proudly informed.

"After you close? And in this human form, what time do you go to bed, may I ask?"

"Oh, I confess that despite being in human form I seldom feel asleep."

Tess threw another sharp look at her now half empty mocha mug. "Humph... no wonder if we consider some human habits of yours..."

Monica looked at her mug too and let out another sigh, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "If at least Andrew was here we could keep ourselves busy at night by-"

"Oh, please, for Heaven's sake!" she mumbled with another smirk, "I better go cause I have a little angel to look after and a choir to rehearse!" Tess disappeared a second later, leaving a rather confused Monica behind.

"...playing Scrabbles... I didn't know Tess isn't a Scrabbles fan... It's such a lovely game to play in an insomnia night..." she spoke, more to herself, and then smiled at a sweet memory. "And Andrew always lets me win..."

"Monica?"

Juliet's voice took her out of her reverie.

"Oh, Juliet, I'll help you in a second..." she quickly drank what was left of her mocha and joined the employee to assist the customers that had just arrived.

X

"Phew! It was a busy morning!" Juliet spoke, taking a seat next to her temporary boss at an empty table. It was two in the afternoon and they had finally managed to take a break as there were very few people in the café right now. Just a couple with a young daughter and an old gentleman who was now reading a newspaper.

"No wonder! I was beginning to consider offering a job to the clients!" the angel joked, watching as her assignment smiled.

"But I don't complain, you see. The most important is that I have a job to afford my son's needs, the rent and all the rest that a person needs to live a decent life. And truth to be told, you pay a lot more than the other cafés around here."

"Well, I just hope that despite being so busy here you still have time to take Ian to the park and enjoy his company!" Monica replied, happy to see how her eyes lit up as she spoke about her son.

"We do. Ian is... he's the best present I could ever receive and seeing him happy makes me equally happy."

"You said he turns four next week?"

"Yes, and is already starting to write his first words!" she quickly informed. "I just wish..."

Her voice faded away and so did her smile. Not missing the sudden change, Monica saw in it an opportunity to try another approach. "You wish?"

Juliet let out a sad sigh. "That things had been different... Arguing with those you love... I wish that this kind of thing never happened..."

"This is a wish that all of us have, Juliet, but it seems to me that disagreements will always happen at a certain point. We shouldn't allow so much time pass before trying to clear things up, though. "

The woman pondered about those words carefully. "You are right... You're so perfectly right, Monica..."

Monica was about to make another question when the little girl sitting together with the couple spilled some milk over her table. Juliet was ready to rise to her feet but the angel stopped her.

"I'll take care of it. You take a break."

"Okay... thanks, Monica." She politely spoke, watching as her kind boss helped the family.

It took Monica just a couple of minutes to go to the café dependencies and return with a clean table cloth, but when she did, Juliet walked over up to her with a smile and a surprised expression.

"Monica, guess what! We have a candidate for the waiter vacancy!" Juliet happily announced, brining in the newcomer. "This is Andrew!" she concluded, a split second after Monica saw who had just entered through the door – their looks crossed, and Andrew's broad smile was certainly the most beautiful image she had seen on that day. Not a word was necessary – they knew their being there was not a coincidence. "Andrew, this is Monica, the manager!"

"Hullo, Andrew..." she finally spoke, not managing to hide her smile at seeing her soul mate standing in front of her after a two week absence. During this time, he had just showed up in his angelic form a couple of times, in between assignments, either to kiss her goodnight or to tell her how much he loved her.

Her Irish lilt was a constant that he could not exist without anymore, as well as her smile and the sweet perfume that immediately filled his lungs when she was around. After so many days of painful separation, he wished he could just take her into his arms right there and press his lips against hers, surprising his sweet valentine in a way that would always bring a beautiful smile on her face. But he knew better – all that could wait for an appropriate moment.

"Good afternoon..." he greeted, controlling his natural impulse but smiling and gazing at her lovingly.

"I'll leave you two talk because there three more customers coming through the door!" Juliet spoke, heading towards the group of friends that had just entered.

"I didn't know you..." the Irish angel tentatively spoke, still visibly surprised at his presence.

"I guess it's a surprise for both of us... boss!" he joked, eliciting a small giggle from her.

"You got here at the right time... You always do, actually, but now more than ever as I urgently need another waiter."

Keeping a mock serious expression, he nodded. "Well, you're my master, you tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it!"

Her eyes lit up with his words, as if suddenly they gained a new meaning to her. "What a lovely way to put things... I wonder if this is a permanent agreement?"

Now chuckling, Andrew gave two steps closer and winked at her. "Always!" he spoke, in a low voice.

"Hum... Alright then... So you and I will have to talk later, mister!" She said, turning around and leaving an amused Andrew behind. "But for a while..." Monica kept on talking, as she crossed the counter and started to look for something. She finally found a new apron and handed it to him. "You can start by helping Juliet serve table number four!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

X

"Monica said things were busy here but I didn't think it was that much!" Andrew spoke, cleaning a table that had just been left empty by a group of teenagers. Juliet had just finished serving the table next to it and nodded her head in agreement.

"Thank God you replied to her ad, otherwise we wouldn't be able to handle it. This coffee shop became quite popular, you see. I guess there's something in the coffee we serve here that makes it so special."

He chuckled, not really surprised at that fact considering who was in command of that café. "Really?"

"Yes!" Juliet took a quick look at Monica and smiled. "She's a good boss and a kind person, Andrew. During the time I've been here, we had the opportunity to talk and... well, it's impossible not to like her."

He nodded his head in agreement. "I guess I know what you mean."

"Yeah, you might be happy too, after all you got the job real fast!"

"I am. I was just wondering what I'd do since I arrived from Castle Dale."

Juliet stopped cleaning the table and stared at him in surprise. "Castle Dale? You've been to Castle Dale?"

"Not for very long, but I spent some weeks there." He replied, not missing the look on her face. "Do you know the city?"

"I... If you excuse me, I have to take this away..." she left in a hurry, carrying a tray with empty dishes and cups. As the other tables had been served, the blond angel walked over up to the counter, where a very concentrated Monica made calculations and drank a large mug of mocha.

"I guess you have an employee with pending problems in her past..." he spoke, watching as her beautiful brown eyes searched for Juliet. "She's in the kitchen."

Monica sighed. "Juliet has such a sad soul, Andrew... I don't know what else to tell her so that I can deliver the message she has to hear."

"I guess you've done a lot already, angel. She likes you a lot and your chats during the time she's been here did help her." Andrew watched as she took a sip of her fresh mocha and, chuckling, he cleaned the milk moustache that remained below her nose.

"Thank you..." she spoke with a smile, slightly blushed. "Well, I'm glad to know it, at least some good news."

"I noticed that she was especially moved when I mentioned Castle Dale, which is the city where I was before I came here."

He enjoyed to see the surprise on her face, she was especially cute then. "Really?"

"Yes. Something tells me that whatever it is that has caused her so much pain, it's certainly connected to this city."

She threw him a grateful look. "I'm so happy you are here..."

"Well, I'm happy to be here as well. To help you and to tell you that perhaps you should take a break from your favourite drink!" he winked at her and nearly chuckled at her pleading / pouting face.

"A break?"

"Yeah, you know, so much coffee can do you no-"

"I think there is a customer calling you at the table two!" she immediately interrupted him, grabbing the mug of mocha with both hands.

Sighing deeply, but still amused, he decided to fulfil his duties as a waiter, while his dear Monica headed to the kitchen.

"Juliet?"

The waitress wiped a few tears from her eyes and forced a smile. "Monica... I'm sorry, I'm cleaning this up and..."

"Are you alright?" the angel came closer and stood face to face with her assignment.

The woman sniffled. "I'll be fine..."

Saying that, she turned around and was already leaving when Monica spoke again. "Juliet..."

"Yes?"

"No one should bear so much sadness alone... Talking about it helps relieve the burden."

"Thanks, Monica... I won't forget it." She said, with a tearful but also grateful smile.

X

"I've seen you holding this mug nine times during the day..."

It was past 6 PM and Andrew's words coming from behind her while she was in the kitchen made Monica jump – because deep inside she knew that her "love" for a certain beverage had gone a little too far lately.

The Irish angel turned around and stared at him with the same expression of a child that had just been caught doing something wrong. "I'm... controlling the quality of the product we serve!" she spoke, stubbornly facing her dear valentine, who was standing just a few inches from her with a stern expression, even though the distance between them just increased his wish to kiss her.

"Well, it seems you have done it quite a lot for only one day, 'ma'am'!" he replied, putting his both hands over the sink and inclining even more towards her.

She raised her eyebrows apparently immune to his comment. "What do you mean by that, may I ask?"

Andrew pointed at the half empty mug. "I mean that you're exaggerating on some of your human habits and that may cause you problems!"

"Well, do you know what I think, Andrew?" Monica replied, looking at him defiantly. "That you too might be exaggerating on your control system!"

"I beg to differ!" he calmly disagreed, "What I'm trying to do is to protect an angel in human form from the possible side effects of so much caffeine in her human organism!"

"My human organism is just fine, thank you, and for your information you are not entitled to supervise my... prediction for this lovely beverage!"

"Oh, no? And why not, may I ask?"

"Because while we are on assignment here I'm the boss!" she spoke, matter-of-factly and with a mischievous smile on her face.

He narrowed his eyes, visibly not pleased to hear that remark. "But I'm your husband and-"

Juliet's voice coming from the corridor interrupted that little argument and they moved away from each other – Andrew still rather upset.

"Oh, Monica, I'm glad you're here..." the young woman spoke as she entered the kitchen, appearing slightly worried.

"What is it, Juliet?"

"We seem to have a little problem... The mocha is over."

"Over?" the angel's voice was slightly louder and shocked, and she did not miss Andrew's pleased face right behind Juliet.

"Yes, I just served the last cup." The waitress informed. "I don't know how it was over so fast, I thought we still had it for two more days..."

Sighing deeply, Monica nodded her head with disappointment. "I'll... I'll see what I can do, Juliet, I'll be with you in a minute."

"Okay!" she said with a half smile, and then left the kitchen.

Monica turned to Andrew, who was now facing her with the same defiant look that she wore minutes before. "Andrew..." She started, with a pleading tone in her voice, which he knew quite well.

"Yes, boss?" he came closer to her again.

"Our supplier isn't far from here, do you think you could..."

"Sorry, ma'am, but it's not in my job description!" he finally spoke, leaving a very upset Monica behind.

X

"Please forgive me to say that, Monica, I guess that in the end I'm a little happy that coffee was over because we could have a break from the rough day we had..." A very tired Juliet spoke, taking a seat at an empty table next to her boss, who also looked quite tired after a hard working day. There were no more customers in there, and Andrew was sweeping the floor not far from them. He and Monica had barely spoken with each other since their argument in the kitchen.

The Irish angel looked at her assignment with a hint of sorrow. "I totally understand, Juliet, and you worked so hard that I too am glad that customers decided to take a little break... I'm just sorry that coffee was over so soon..."

Andrew could not avoid rolling his eyes at hearing that.

"Fortunately we had help today." The employee kept on talking.

"I was working at a farm back in Castle Dale and we had a lot to do so it wasn't that difficult to get the rhythm." The blond angel replied, and once again his comment made the expression on Juliet's face change.

"At a farm?"

"Yes. My boss, Mr Reyes, was the greatest dairy products producer in the area."

"Really?" the woman's eyes were suddenly filled with tears. "And... What is he like?"

"Well... Edmund Reyes is a good man, treated us fairly and well. But there was great sadness inside him." Andrew spoke, he and Monica noticing how that piece of information had touched Juliet.

"Sadness?"

The blond angel came closer. "Yes. And once, when we were talking, he confessed to me he had a daughter and that they'd had an argument and that the greatest regrets in his life."

Hearing that, Juliet rose to her feet and quickly rushed to the kitchen, as more tears rolled down on her face. Monica and Andrew exchanged a look of complicity and then the Irish angel stood up from her chair and went look for her.

"Juliet?" she spoke, keeping her voice low and approaching the crying lady carefully.

"I'm sorry, Monica..."

"Please do not apologise..." the angel finally placed her hand over her shoulder. "I can see how much you're suffering..."

"I am...

"And suddenly Andrew's words brought out emotions you were hiding deep down inside your heart."

After a short silence, Juliet spoke again. "Edmund Reyes is my father..."

"And what happened for father and daughter to go separate ways in such a sad way?" the angel wanted to know.

"I got pregnant... He... He told me that I did not have any respect for him, that I had betrayed him because he had dreamed a different future for me. We said hurtful things to each other and these things made me leave..."

Monica was moved to hear that. "What happened to the father of your son?"

"He abandoned me just like my father said he would. But then I decided I would raise Jimmy without anyone's help and that's what I've been doing so far. I thought that my father would never want to see me again, I thought he was still too angry to talk to me and I wouldn't bear a new rejection."

"I believe we've talked about it earlier..."

"Yes, and I've been thinking about what you told me... that we shouldn't allow so much time pass after a disagreement with those we love. And now... now Andrew suddenly appears here and by a coincidence he worked with my father..."

"There isn't such a thing as a coincidence, Juliet..."

Monica's words were followed by a sudden and warm glow around her form, which made the young woman's eyes grow wide in surprise.

"Don't be afraid," the angel spoke, with a beautiful smile that transmitted peace. "I'm an angel, and I'm here to tell you that God has a message for you..." She covered Juliet's trembling hand with hers. "...Even though I have a feeling you already know what His words will be!"

X

A while later...

Juliet passed by Andrew in a hurry but with a hopeful smile on her face. He had already tidied up the restaurant and elected to remain there while Monica had a conversation with the young waitress. He knew there was no one in the entire world that could deliver the Father's message the way his beloved valentine did.

Even though she had had many cups of coffee that day and in spite of their little argument in the kitchen earlier.

"Goodbye, Andrew!"

"Is there something going on?" he wanted to know, glad to see the happy tears on her face, a sign that Monica had finally accomplished her assignment.

"Edmund Reyes is my father. And I could say it was a coincidence that you first came up here with news exactly about my father, but now I know that there is no such thing as a coincidence. My son and I are going back to Castle Dale; I'll look for my dad and try to recover the time we were apart. And Jimmy has to meet his grandfather!"

Smiling, the blond angel nodded his head. "I'm happy to hear it! All the best, Juliet!"

"Thank you. Wish you all the best here and I know you are in good hands! Monica is the best thing that could have happened in your life, believe me!"

She left the café, locking the door behind her as it was past 11 PM and they were not accepting more customers. Andrew chuckled at her last words as he knew that they were nothing but the most absolute truth.

"She will soon be with her family again and a happy future waits for her..." Monica appeared next to him, and despite their little argument earlier there was a pleased smile on the angel's face. "... I've just been told."

He nodded in agreement. "Her father is a good man. He made many mistakes in the past but I can tell he regrets each of them. And he misses his daughter very much."

"It'll be a beautiful reunion!" she exclaimed, picturing the scene of a father and daughter holding each other and Juliet's wee boy next to them, looking with curiosity at his grandpa.

He was going to smile at her but a sudden thought made him keep a stern look on his face. "Well, then I guess my assignment here is over because she finally got news from her father and also because coffee is already over." He spoke, raising from his chair and removing the apron that Monica had made him wear all day long.

The Irish angel raised her eyebrows and watched him in his somewhat adorable pout, and could not help but hide a mischievous smile.

"I don't think so, mister." She spoke, crossing her arms in front of her chest and with a mock stern expression on her face.

Andrew narrowed his eyes at so much impertinence. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, as far as I know, this assignment isn't over because I haven't received the message to leave here, so I'm still in charge of this café and, consequently, you are still my employee. And as my employee you are supposed to be here tomorrow. I've contacted the coffee supplier and they are sending more tomorrow at seven, so your presence is mandatory when we open the doors."

She knew she was annoying him when he brought his face closer to hers, standing just a few inches from her. "You know something? I'll talk to your supervisor!"

Saying that, he passed by her and headed to the front door.

"Where are you going, may I ask?"

"To our temporary home since 'my assignment isn't over'!" he said, "And you are coming with me!"

She was going to mention something else when he pulled the door, but to their surprise it didn't open.

"Now what?" He said, a little bit more annoyed than he already was.

Watching her shrug her shoulders with a confused expression on her face, the blond angel turned the door knob once again, but to his surprise – and Monica's as well, the door didn't open.

"Juliet might have locked it when she left... are the keys with you?" he wanted to know, and watched as a slight frown appeared on her forehead.

"The keys?"

He crossed his arms and faced her. "Yes, Monica, the keys. You sure have a copy of them, don't you?"

"Well, I... I might have it..." she replied, not totally certain of her words. "...somewhere..."

Under Andrew's incredulous eyes, she searched for the spare key that used to be under the counter where she had been near all day long. To his relief, she found it. But when the blond angel inserted it in the key hole and turned it, the key broke.

"I can't believe it!" he grumbled, frowning annoyed at what had just happened.

"Oh, dear..." Monica spoke, but without giving it too much importance. "Is there another door?"

"I'm afraid not..." she replied. "We happen to be locked in here, you know..."

He let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand over his short blond hair. "Alright, then. Let's get out of here in our angelic form and tomorrow we'll find someone to open the door."

"Well, I'm... momentarily bound to remain in this lovely eighteenth-century building."

"Bound to remain here?" there was a frown of concern in his face as he approached her.

"My... angelic abilities have been severely affected due to... well, due to the revelation I have just made and to my intense activity here during the day..."

"You mean due to some human habits of yours..." he spoke, still upset and as if scolding a nine-year-old.

But Monica kept her mock serious face and tilted her head, eyeing him with tenderness despite the fact that she was having fun at his annoyance.

"You look quite cute when you are mad, do you know that?"

He was slightly surprised at that comment, but it wasn't enough to soften his heart. "Is the boss making eyes at her employee?" That reply, made with utmost seriousness, caused her to giggle, and she wrapped her both arms around his own.

"You are responsible for that, mister, since you are definitely the most handsome employee I've ever had!"

Standing on the tip of her toes, she brushed a tiny kiss against his jaw, not missing the effect of her tender caress.

Andrew finally looked at her and on the following second, wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "The next time, I will be the boss in charge!"

Monica rested her head against his chest and let out a soft sigh; the smile was permanent on her face. "I won't mind it a tiny bit, you see... There's nothing you can ask me that I won't do..."

Rolling his eyes, as he knew that he was the one who couldn't deny her anything – coffee included, the blond angel caressed her hair and kissed the top her head.

That tender gesture made Monica's smile grow wider and she pulled away just enough to look at his face. "But I'm still the boss now..." Watching as he raised his eyebrows with a hint of a smile on his face, she kept on talking. "...And as your boss I have to announce that I have changed my mind. Since I cannot go out, you are staying here with me overnight, mister waiter-angel."

"I guess I don't have any choice... After all, you're my boss..."

"Exactly!"

He cleared his throat. "And... What is my next task then, may I ask?"

"Well... As a coordinator I encourage my employee to be more independent and search for the answers to his own questionings, I..."

They had been standing inches apart for many times during that day, and Andrew realised he could not wait any longer to do what he had been wanting to since the moment he had stepped inside that café. Crossing the small distance between them, he pressed his lips against hers, silencing her with a long, affectionate caress that conveyed the promise of eternal love he had made her years before, when they first confessed their mutual feelings.

Monica let her hands travel over his broad shoulders up to his neck and then her slender fingers ran through is short hair. She let out a small sigh for being in the safest place on Earth she had ever been – his arms. As that sweet caress ended, the Irish angel's smile returned as now her beloved valentine worked on placing small kisses over her porcelain face. While one arm kept on permanently holding her against him, his right hand searched for her hair and he finally undid the ponytail she had been wearing all day long. Now, his fingers could comb those soft auburn strands that always shone so bright to him.

"I hope I'm doing alright..." he joked, kissing the tip of her nose and eliciting a small giggle from her.

"I have to say that you are a highly qualified worker, mister, and that I'm very pleased with your performance."

His hand cradled her meek face now, admiring the cute dimples that were visible whenever she smiled. "I love you..." his voice was low as those words were meant only for her to hear and despite the fact that he could easily shout it aloud to the entire world.

Monica leaned into his touch, treasuring the fact that he could always transmit so much love and peace just by a simple gesture. "I love you so much, Andrew... Always a wee bit more than the moment before this..."

Smiling, as her use of words was always endearing to him, Andrew's fingers retook the familiar ritual of entangling through her long strands and on the following second, their lips were pressed against each other all over again. He held her for dear life while delivering soft caresses and speaking loving words against her ear and both angels knew that the old little coffee shop building would be a shelter for their love on that starry night.

X

To be continued


	62. The perfect wife

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 62: The perfect wife

With his hands tugged in the pockets of his jeans and protected by a woollen sweater and his black leather jacket, the blond angel watched from a certain distance as a happy couple played with their children in the white blanket formed by the snow. The city park was full of people who had finally left their houses in order to enjoy the sunny, nevertheless, cold day, and for the Starks that afternoon had a greater meaning. Two months before, Edward Starks had been involved in a car accident that almost took his life. Andrew had been there, standing next to the sick father who fought to remain on Earth and next to his loved ones, and even if he had learned not to question the Father's plan, the blond angel prayed for the man's recovery as he understood exactly how Edward felt like.

But the family was reunited again and during the time he was in hospital, Mr Starks knew there was an angel beside him. They had the opportunity to talk and Andrew made him re-think what he had been doing with his life so far. An assignment that was meant to be his, as no other angel could have found the best words to reach the man's heart other than Andrew. He had a family of his own – a gift that never before had been conceded to any other heavenly creature. And right at that very moment, in his human form, the angel watched Mr and Mrs Starks and their two children hoping that soon he could be reunited with his eternal valentine and his precious little angel.

Instants later, however, that thought gained form when Andrew felt a loving presence standing behind him and a slight smile formed in the corner of his lips.

"It's been such a lovely day, isn't it?" the Irish lilt reached his ears at the same time he turned around to see a very charming Monica gazing back at him with a bright smile. Andrew found her extremely cute wearing a dark purple woollen beret and matching woollen scarf, a beige overcoat, jeans and boots. Rubbing her gloved hands together, she spoke again. "It's a wee bit cold, though, and I wonder where I can snuggle in order to keep warmer..."

Chuckling at her statement, the blond angel gave some steps forward until he was standing right in front of her. Then, he opened his arms, purposefully not touching her yet. "Well, then it seems you are in the right place at the right time cause there's a vacancy here..."

Biting her lower lip, the little angel in human form threw herself in his strong arms, her smile never fading as he held her back tightly against him. "I couldn't be more blessed!"

At first, Andrew kissed the top of her head but on the following minute, when she pulled away, he wasted no time in searching for her rosy lips, kissing them lovingly and slowly, taking his time to savour their sweetness and to rejoice as she returned that caress with the same delight, a consequence of three whole weeks of separation.

Her small hands caressed his handsome face, delicate fingers running along his strong jaw and feeling the slight beard that had been formed due to his lack of shaving for two days. His bigger hands caressed her wavy auburn strands, which cascaded over her shoulders and framed her beautiful face, and applied a little more pressure on the back of her head, so he could prolong that kiss for as much as possible.

And even when that caress had to be broken, Andrew kept on kissing her lower lip and now wrapped his arm around her waist. "I hope you're feeling better now."

He felt her smile against his. "I am, thank you very much, mister."

Gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and then caressing her cheek with the back of his hand, the angel took a break to admire her lovely features.

Monica tilted her head and eyed him back with some slight concern. "You seem tired..."

"Humm... I guess it's just because I missed you so much!" he joked, not wanting her to worry about him.

She ran her fingertip over his cheek. "How long have you been in this human form?"

"Two or three days... After my assignment regained consciousness in the hospital."

She was going to say something else, but their gaze broke when they heard excited children's yelling and parents' laughter not far from there.

"They were your assignment, weren't they?" she wanted to know, admiring the joy she could see in the family's eyes.

Andrew turned around and for a moment looked in the same direction, without letting go of her. "The father was. And he and I spent some time talking about the joy of having a family to take care and love..."

"I have no doubt that you accomplished your mission beautifully because they are so happy that they can only have been touched by an angel like you."

He turned back to gaze at her, aware of her admiration but not wanting to receive so much praising. "How long can you stay, angel?" Andrew wanted to know, gently caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. "I haven't seen you in such a long time..."

Despite his permanent smile, his voice was pleading, as if somewhat he was fearing the answer.

But to his relief, his charming valentine grinned at him and slowly shrugged her small shoulders. "As a matter of fact, I have no idea..."

"What do you mean, baby?" He wanted to know, a little confused.

"Well, after I finished my assignment, I was told I could go to you." She answered, with simplicity. And then added. "And here I am!"

Intrigued, he narrowed his eyes. "Hum... since I have my angel at my disposal apparently for the rest of the day, what about a walk in the park?" he wrapped her arm around his and kept his hand over hers.

"With a stop at the café next to the lake?"

"Anything you want!"

"You are a very kind gentleman!"

Laughing, he kissed her cheek and they started a pleasant walk along the frozen winter scenario. "Please tell me about our little angel... Was she with you?"

"Oh, she was and every time I mention her daddy, she smiles and claps her hands..."

Monica kept on telling him about their lovely baby and how she was learning new words and interacting with other people – and angels, and Andrew was enchanted and at the same time eager to be able to hold her again. They talked about their latest assignments and the joy to see hope in the eyes of those who had already given up living. For many times, the couple interrupted that conversation to exchange a small kiss or loving caresses and to observe people passing by. They were exactly talking about an old couple who were holding hands and engaged in a joyful conversation.

"We won't get old like they are, but we'll get to the point of having known each other for as long as they do." Monica spoke, and then looked up at Andrew, who gave her waist a light squeeze and brought his face closer to hers.

"Yes, and I'm quite certain that I won't love you the way I do today..." he said, kissing her shoulder and chuckling at the way she frowned at him.

"Oh, no?" She exclaimed, with a mock upset expression as she knew he was joking.

"No, baby..." kissing her cheek, he held her tightly close to him. "...I'll love you even more."

Her broad smile was back on her face and she inched closer to place a tiny kiss on his lips. "Oh, Andrew... You are such a sweet angel..."

The expression on her face suddenly turned from a enamoured to a serious one. "Every day I pray for the gift I've been granted when the Father allowed us to be joined as soul mates in Heaven and here on Earth as well...I just wonder if someday I will be able to be as good to you as a regular wife is to her husband..."

He frowned at hearing her words. "Monica, what are you saying? You're wonderful in everything you do, angel!"

She threw a look of resignation towards him. "Exactly, I am an angel, not a human. And a human wife seems to have the natural gift of taking care of her family the way it should be..."

Andrew knew he shouldn't, but he found her frustration slightly funny considering that she was the most caring creature he had ever met. With tenderness, and aware that his smile was bothering her, he stroked her cheek with tenderness and gave a step closer to her. "You have the natural gift of bringing joy to my world... of making me fall in love with you over and over again every time I listen to your voice, baby..."

"Andrew..." she blushed quickly at his words.

"Please never say that you do not treat me well enough, because it will never be true..." Andrew was looking straight into her sweet eyes as she tilted her head.

"I love you so much..." she whispered, breaking their gaze to hold him tightly once again.

"My sweet angel... I love you very much too..." He kissed the top of her head. "And I think-"

He suddenly stopped talking and the urge to sneeze made him pull away from her.

"Andrew?" she was frowning again, but now with true concern as he sneezed three times in a row.

"It's just-"

Another sneeze interrupted him once more, and when it was over the Irish angel gently lay both hands on each side of his face, fingertips caressing his skin as she made him look back at her. "You have a cold!"

"No, angel, I don't think so, it's... it might be the dust or something..."

But she ignored his words completely as her worried doe-like eyes scanned his handsome face. "Oh but you certainly do, Andrew! That is why you look so tired! And in this cold weather, it might get worse!"

"Monica..."

"We need to find a home so I can take of you. And fast!"

X

An unwilling Andrew watched from a rather comfortable bed as Monica brought a warm blanket from the wardrobe and carefully covered him with it.

"Here you are! Now you'll stay warm while I prepare you some tea, okay?"

"Monica-"

"We were so blessed that I found Tess' car key in my pocket a second after I wondered where we could head so I could take proper care of you!" she gently interrupted him, sitting next to him and looking around the cosy bedroom with a pleased smile. "This way we could come faster to our cabin. Now we have a fireplace instead of a heater. I find fireplaces much more romantic, you know."

Hearing that comment, he made a break of their little discussion and raised his eyebrows. "Hum... I have to agree with you on that. I have... very good memories involving fireplaces!" he winked at her and chuckled at her blushing face.

And he could see that, for a few instants, Monica's mind travelled back at some lovely moments spent at her valentine's side. On the next moment, however, she looked back at him with a serious expression. "But now it is time to take care of your human form! I'll make you some tea!"

"Angel, I'm not that bad..." Andrew insisted, even though his voice was already getting hoarse and he tried to ignore the slight pain in his throat.

"Earlier today I prayed for a chance to take really good care of you, like a good wife should do to her husband, and now I am being presented with a situation in which you need my intensive care and this is what I am doing, mister!"

The stern expression on her face and the determined way she spoke caused Andrew to frown both with amusement and slight annoyance. In a way, she reminded him of Tess, and this thought scared him a little. But he could not deny that she looked rather adorable as she spoke to him like she was in charge of the situation and he was entirely under her command.

And on second thoughts, it was totally true, as there wasn't anything he would deny her.

"Are you warm enough?" Monica wanted to know, arranging the blanket around him, her sweet perfume penetrating his nostrils and making him pay attention to every little detail on her beautiful face – auburn hair cascading over her shoulders as she moved, her cheeks were now rosy as they were in front of a fireplace and her sweet doe-like eyes he would always end up lost in.

"Hum... actually, I guess I'm not... why don't you scoot closer?"

His playful smile did not amuse her, however. "Andrew! You are supposed to be ill!"

"Exactly. I need an angel to watch over me and do everything she can so I can get better..."

Monica rose to her feet and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, you have a point in there. I'll bring your tea."

"I guess Tess keeps the little bags in the cupboard..." he casually informed.

"Oh, no, I won't need them. I'm making garlic and lemon tea for you."

Andrew's eyes grew wide at that piece of news. "What?"

She turned around before she could see the look of sheer panic on his face.

X

"In my latest assignment I learned that Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties and lemon has vitamin C, so they will help your human body to heal much faster." The Irish angel happily informed, watching as a very upset Andrew drank the content of the much she had just given him – after much reluctance on his side.

Visibly annoyed, he handed her the empty much with a smirk. "Monica...garlic is related to vampires, not angels!"

As he moved to leave the bed, she frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Brush my teeth!"

As he disappeared through the door, the little angel shrugged her shoulders, not really minding his bad mood. "Grouchy!"

When Andrew returned to their room, Monica had already left but he could hear her working in the kitchen, and that fact alone made him fear what was still about to come.

Letting out a tired sigh, as he indeed had a bad cold, the blond angel climbed in bed again and looked up. "Father, You know I love her with all my heart and soul... But... She's cooking..." he said, in a low voice, and after some moments of inner reflection, he spoke again. "... You know I don't ask anything for myself because I'm always so grateful for everything You gave me, but... Please, make me heal..."

The evening fell gently and despite Andrew's reluctance in accepting Monica's care, his human form needed special attention. The blond angel felt exhaustion and pain all over his body, and the cold made him feel tired and weak, so shortly after he had lay down in bed, he fell into deep sleep.

Monica came back to check on him and when found her dear valentine fast asleep in their bed, her heart seemed to ache with so much love. Carefully not to wake him up, she approached their bed and took a seat on its edge, admiring the strong features of his handsome face for a few moments. She lay a gentle hand against his cheek and noticed he was running a low fever.

"Ah, my dear Andrew... I wish you weren't feeling this way but since you are, I'm glad I have the opportunity to watch over you..." she caressed his tousled blond hand with her fingertips. "... You're always the one to take care of me... I just wanted a chance to repay all this love. But I know I would never be able to do it because what you give me is... so very precious and it's so much that... all I can do is thank the Father for sending me an angel like you..."

She bent down and kissed his forehead and after some more instants of contemplation, she rose to her feet and headed back to the kitchen, where she was happily preparing Andrew's dinner.

X

"A homemade legumes soup?"

Andrew's eyebrows were raised suspiciously as he looked at Monica's hands. She was carrying a tray with a dish that contained a warm cream, whose colours were a mix of green and yellow. The Irish angel carefully placed it on their bed and motioned him to lean against the pillows – he had woken ten minutes earlier and she gladly informed that dinner was almost ready. What Monica did not see was the look of sheer terror in his eyes at her announcement.

"Exactly. I watched my assignment making it and it was not that difficult. I'm glad that she was a nutritionist otherwise I don't think I would be able to treat you as good as you deserve, you know?"

Andrew did not reply, observing how she placed the dish right in front of him.

"There you go."

The blond angel took a spoon and looked at her, avoiding to have the first sip. "Aren't you going to have it?"

"Oh, I've already eaten."

"Monica..." he started to protest, but a quick look at her face told him he would not escape. There was so much expectation in her eyes; a mix of anxiety to see him heal and also to know if what she had prepared him was really good.

And then he took the courage and ate it. Little by little and all of it, as Monica would not leave the room until he was over.

"Thank you, angel..." he spoke, as he placed the spoon inside the empty dish, trying hard not to show her what he really thought of it.

"I'll take it back and you can lie down a little. I'm sure you'll be better by morning."

He cleared his throat, looking at the wooden clock hanging on the wall. "It's... erm... it's not that late, you see... And I guess I feel much better now, I rested the whole afternoon..."

"Oh, yes you did, and I confess you were quite cute in your sleep!" she said, with a lovely smile that went straight to his heart.

Chuckling, and slightly blushed at her praise, he inched closer and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You look quite cute when you're taking care of your sick husband... Maybe you could take care of him a little bit more right now..."

He inched closer in an attempt to kiss her but Monica's smile disappeared and she frowned with a stern expression on her face. "Oh, but I am. Right now I'm telling you that you should go back to bed and keep on resting as much as you can, mister!"

Much to Andrew's distress, she was staring back at him with her arms crossed and with the same Tess' look she had earlier.

Also slightly annoyed, the blond angel gave up his seductive gaze and started to leave their bed. "Very well..."

"Where are you going?"

"Brush my teeth again..." he had said it too quickly and in no way wanted her to know that it was a way to remove the taste of the soup that his beloved wife had made him. But looking at her questioning eyes, he was also quick to add. "I'm sleeping, right? Heading straight to bed with no other benefits!"

She rolled her eyes and watched him disappear through the bedroom door for the second time. "I did not know that some sick angels tend to be in such a bad mood!"

Monica spent some time in the kitchen, washing the dishes and preparing the table for breakfast. She was glad to see that they had everything they would need for their human forms. Everything tidied up, the little angel turned off some lights and went to her bedroom, where she found once again a very serene Andrew. Smiling, she felt his face and was relieved that the fever seemed to have broken.

Trying not to make any noise as not to disturb him, the angel changed into warm pyjamas and turned the lights off – except for the one on their bedside. Then, she lay down on her side and facing him, their faces were just a few inches close.

"Sleep well, my sweet Andrew..." Monica whispered, leaning forward to brush a very soft kiss against his lips. "... I hope you have only good dreams. Wee Angela and I love you very, very much."

She spent some time contemplating his face, searching for any traces that could remind Angela's, as the little angel was turning more and more similar to her mother despite Monica's insistence that she had many of Andrew's traits. She scooted closer until they were sharing the same pillow and finally fell asleep next to him. And even in his deep sleep, the blond angel seemed to sense her presence as he raised an arm and wrapped it around her waist, bringing her closer as if she belonged only to him.

X

A pair of soft brown eyes watched as Andrew's green ones opened slowly, still getting used to the morning light. The blond angel blinked shortly a few times and the first image he saw was Monica's beautiful face and her warm smile. She was lying next to him, leaning on her elbow, head propped on her hand, and a quick look at her green sweater and jeans made him realise she had been up for a while.

"Good morning..." Monica's soothing accent reached his ears as his lips curved into a sleepy smile.

"Monica... Good morning, angel...What time is it?" he frowned a little, not pleased with the fact that he had been asleep for so long.

"It's a good time for recovering angels to wake up..." she replied, tilting her head and as if studying his handsome face. "How are you feeling today?"

Her sweet perfume once again invaded his lungs and her hair fell over her shoulders, tickling his face and arms.

"I'm..." He frowned again, but now with a surprised smile on his face. "...Actually, I do feel better..."

The Irish angel watched with expectation as he slowly sat down in bed and ran his hand through his short blond hair.

"What about the pain in your body? And the soreness in your throat?"

"I don't feel them anymore..."

She lay a tender hand against his face, caressing his cheek and forehead at the same time she checked his temperature. "The fever did not return either..." And she finally smiled. "...You're healing, Andrew!"

"I guess am!"

"I knew the tea and the soup would help you get better but I didn't expect it to be so soon!" Her marvelled eyes at all the care she had given him on the previous day was moving and he elected not to speak about if he had really enjoyed her methods.

"Hum... they might have helped but I guess what really made me heal was a certain angel of God and the loving way she took care of me!"

He winked at her and found her blushing face rather adorable.

Shaking her head, Monica threw him a loving gaze. "You see... I liked to be able to take care of you, but I prayed so much to see you healing."

"Well, I liked having you taking care of me..." he made a short pause. "...well, I confess that I was quite scared when you gave me one of those Tess' looks."

She rolled her eyes playfully, "You were supposed to be in a recovery process, mister!"

"That might be true, but now..." he wrapped his arm around her waist and gently brought her closer to him. "...I'm much happier being able to hold you close without you telling me that I have to sleep, you know? I've slept a lot already..."

He inched closer, seeking for her lips but Monica playfully moved her head backwards. "You should have your breakfast now... I'll bring it for you..."

She tried to move away but Andrew's strong arms stopped her. "Andrew!"

"You're not getting away that easily now, angel..." he spoke in her ear, enjoying to hear her giggling. "You and I have unfinished matters to discuss!"

She did not protest as he wrapped his other arm around her small body and pressed his lips against hers, in a deep loving kiss for which he had been expecting for since the previous day. It took Monica just a few instants to adjust to the situation and she gently touched his cheek, caressing his skin with delicate fingertips as he applied gentle pressure on the back of her head, kissing her more deeply until they felt the need to breathe again.

"I love you, my angel..." he whispered, as he held her tightly and delivered soft kisses against her neck.

"My dear Andrew... I love you so much..." A sudden thought made her chuckle and she caressed his hair as she spoke, "And I must confess that you look rather cute when you are grouchy..."

She kissed his cheek as she said that, now laughing at the way he playfully rolled his eyes with mock annoyance. "I prefer the loving, protective and caring Andrew, though... He is much more adorable!"

Also laughing, Andrew caressed her long tresses as he kissed her lips softly before looking her in the eye, "Angel... Yesterday you told me you wanted to be a loving and caring wife, but the truth is that there's no soul on Earth or in Heaven who is just as loving and caring like you are, baby... The perfect wife..." He kissed her lips softly and added. "...And I'm eternally grateful for your love..."

The kiss that followed was the first of many others on that sunny winter morning spent at the cosy cabin up in the mountains, a perfect shelter for the two enamoured souls.

X

To be continued.


	63. The perfect family

Angel Of Mine Series

Episode 63: The perfect family

"Do you think we'll be able to get back to the orphanage this night, Miss Monica?"

"I'm not sure, Christian… I guess the storm makes the way ahead of us a wee bit confusing…"

A loud thunder interrupted their voices as Monica drove along the road that crossed the countryside. The heavy rain hit the windshield in full force, making her press her fingers against the car wheel until her knuckles turn white. Sitting next to her, a eight-year-old African-American boy had his big black eyes wide open at the darkness that surrounded them and even though he tried hard to look brave, the roaring thunders and threatening lightning caused him to tremble with fear.

"I see… I guess we should ask for help if a car passes by us, don't you think?" the spoke, not really believing that they would get somewhere under those weather conditions.

"Oh, you are perfectly right. The only problem is that no one seems to be up crossing the countryside roads under this storm… It's not advisable, you know…"

The Irish angel feared for their human forms, most especially, she feared for Christian as he was exposed to any sort of danger that came up on a night like that. Her assignment was picking up the boy at his foster parents' house and take him back to the orphanage because Mr and Mrs Newman refused him, and her heart was broken with sadness. Christian had been raised at an orphanage since he was three years old and despite his mild manners and cheerful personality, a new home and a new family seemed quite distant dreams to him. It hurt Monica's soul to think that this refusal had to do with the boy's colour, even if the reason the Newman's alleged was that "Christian was a lovely child but that they did not felt connected to him right away." They could not fool an angel. Especially an angel of truth like Monica.

"I think it was all wrong from the start..." the boy let out a tired sigh, despite the constant worry on his face.

Monica frowned at hearing those words. "Of course it wasn't, dear! You were open to receive the Newman's as your parents and if it didn't work it wasn't because of something you did or didn't do. And do you know what I think about it all? I think that the Newman's have no idea that they had the chance to be the parents of such a special and intelligent young man!"

She placed a supportive hand over the boy's shoulder and gave him a tender look, watching as he nodded with a little disappointment but also with resignation at a situation he could not change.

The angel turned her attention back at the dark road ahead of them and reduced the car speed, as the rain seemed to fall heavier every minute. She thought about stopping, but then again, stopping there would also represent risk. Plus, she had been told to drive along the road and trusted that the orders had some meaning she was yet to find out.

Minutes later, however, both Monica and Christian heard something that made them feel twice worried.

"Miss Monica... Did you hear that? I guess it's the car..."

"I did, Christian... And I think this is not a good thing, I'm afraid..." she said, frowning with concern.

Tess' Cadillac, gently lent for that specific mission, started to fail and in a short time its engine stopped completely.

"Miss Monica... I guess we're in trouble, aren't we?" the boy was trying to be brave so far but one could see the fear in his eyes.

"Dear Father... please show us what to do..." the angel prayed, not finding sense in all that was happening there.

But the answer that was whispered to her heart only made her more confused, even though it brought some relief. The certainty that they were being watched became more concrete a minute later, when they heard the noise of an engine getting closer to them from behind. Monica and Christian saw through the wet windshield when a toll truck passed by them and pulled over just a few feet ahead. With eyes wide open filled with curiosity – and slight fear, they saw it as the vehicle door opened and a person got off.

He was tall and wore a rain coat. With large steps, the man walked over to up the Cadillac, causing Christian to shrink back in his seat. "Miss Monica..." he whispered, terrified to see the stranger coming towards them.

But Monica's expression softened when lightening shone briefly upon that deserted road. She would recognise that silhouette anywhere and it was then that she understood why her heart was so calm despite the situation itself.

"It's alright, wee Christian. We are safe now." She said, throwing him a trustful glance.

The stranger was soon knocking gently on the glass next to the driver's seat and it took her only a second to open it. Andrew's wet face and the inquisitive look in his green eyes were the best visions she could have on that stormy night.

"I wonder if anybody here needs help..." he said, with eyebrows raised and a friendly smile at his beloved Monica, and not missing her little friend's fear in the passenger seat.

Her smile back at him made up for the rain and the cold wind that was blowing strong on that scary night. "Well, I was exactly looking for divine intervention..." she winked at him, causing Andrew to chuckle. "...and I guess it could not be more divine..."

Nodding his head, he looked at Christian. "It's alright, pal. That toll truck has seen worse storms, I'll pull you guys to a safe place not far from here. Heaven's Door Bed and Breakfast stays only a few miles away!"

Saying that, Andrew winked at Monica and turned around, returning to the white truck parked in front of them.

"You know him, Miss Monica?"

"Oh, I do. You see, Andrew and I are married."

"Wow... so you guys usually get to meet in the middle of nowhere?"

Giggling, she nodded her head. "Hum... as a matter of fact, we do that quite often..."

she and Christian watched as Andrew attached the Cadillac to the toll truck using a heavy chain and a hook. Then, they saw it as the blond angel waved them briefly before returning to the truck and turning the motor on. On the following moment, they were being pulled along the road and far from the dreadful thunderstorm.

X

The Heaven's Door Bed and Breakfast was not too far from where Monica and Christian had stopped. Once the two vehicles were parked in front of the lovely, eighteenth century white building, the angels and their assignment rushed to the interior of the building. And the person who was standing behind the counter in the reception room could not be more familiar.

"Tess!"

Monica's voice made the supervisor move her eyes from the crosswords she had been doing for the latest hour and she was both happy and worried at seeing her dearest friends arriving in the middle of the night and at the vision of Andrew's soaking clothes.

"Oh, dear Father! Babies, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed, putting her hobby aside to hold the Irish angel who was already walking up to her.

"Ah, Tess, the story is a wee bit long but all we can say now is that we are very happy to see you!" Monica spoke, receiving and warm hug from her friend and supervisor.

"And so am I, baby, so am I..." As she pulled away, the older angel looked at Andrew with worry. "Angel boy, what happened to you?"

"Well, let's just say that working as a toll truck driver has its drawbacks!"

The supervisor's eyebrows raised suspiciously. "A toll truck driver? And why was a toll truck driver needed?"

Monica and Andrew exchanged a slight worried look, which also held a little amusement at the expression on their friend's face.

The Irish angel spoke next, sensing Tess' concern. "Tess... I'd like to introduce you your new guest... This is Christian." She said, placing both hands on the boy's shoulders. "Christian, this is our friend Tess."

"It's very nice to meet you, ma'am!" The boy offered a friendly smile. He was already used to Monica, but strangely felt at ease quite fast among those two strangers.

"It's very nice to meet you too, Christian." The oldest angel replied, turning her eyes away from Andrew and giving some attention to the boy, as she could see a lot of sorrow past his smile and his big dark eyes.

"He has made me company for three long hours driving along these deserted roads, you see, and when the storm hit I thought we wouldn't find anywhere to stay." Monica kept on talking.

"The car broke down and we thought we would have to spend the night out there in the road, which is very dangerous. The wind was blowing so strong that a tree could be thrown against us!" The boy explained, and his words made Tess look back at her two charges, her smile immediately fading away and her eyebrows now knitted together.

"My car broke down?"

The blond angel cleared his throat before speaking again. "Er... well, you see, Tess... So much water might have damaged the car's engine... that is why it stopped working..."

"It was lucky that Andrew was passing by at the right time we stopped!" Christian's quick piece of information was everything Monica needed to speak again.

"Actually, if it hadn't been for Andrew, a lot more damage could have been caused, you know, Tess... He pulled your car safe and soundly up to this lovely bed and breakfast!" After another quick look exchange with Andrew, she kept on speaking, "I do hope you have accommodations for the three of us, and perhaps some new clothes for Andrew as he might catch a cold if he continues to wear this wet uniform!"

"Yeah, actually, I could really use a hot shower too, and I'm quite sure you'll have enough bedrooms, right?" he said, visibly wanting to move away from the supervisor's stern gaze at him.

"I'm not done with this conversation yet..." she said, walking back to behind the counter and taking a key. "...And I want to check on my baby once this storm is over!"

She deposited the key in the palm of his hand and Andrew nearly ran away from her. Monica was trying to suppress a smile when Tess looked back at her. "Fortunately, Christian and I are not soaking wet like my poor Andrew but I confess we are a wee bit hungry, right, Christian?"

Shyly, the boy tugged his hands in his pockets and nodded slowly. "I... I guess so..."

Tess' stern gaze turned to one of tenderness as she looked away from Monica and back at the boy who was clearly their assignment. "Well, let me guess: you like a roast beef sandwich with some cheese on the top and no ketchup?" she said, gently wrapping her arm around the boy's shoulders.

"How did you guess?" he wanted to know, a broad smile on his face.

"Oh, well, let's say I have a talent to find these things out!"

"I wonder if perhaps you have some mocha latte to go with the sandwich..." Monica spoke, walking behind them and she could notice that that comment caused a slight annoyance in her supervisor judging by the way she stared at her.

X

"It's the best roast beef sandwich I've ever eaten!" Christian spoke, with a pleased expression on his face and hearing that, Tess's mood got better. They were all sitting at the Bed and Breakfast's small restaurant along with some other few guests who were kept "prisoners" there due to the thunderstorm: three teenagers and their respective father, and a couple.

"Why, thank you, Christian. I'm glad you like it!"

"Tess cooks wonderfully, you see, Christian. She and Andrew are very talented." Monica spoke, happily drinking a double mocha latte that she had been granted with after much insistence.

"Andrew is a cook too?" the boy wanted to know, more and more intrigued with the blond man's many occupations.

"Yep! When I'm not working as a toll truck driver!" The angel of death had just entered the room, his hair still damp but he was wearing dry and warm clothes. He took a seat next to Monica and kissed her temple lovingly.

"That's cool. When I grow up I wanna be a doctor. But it's good to have a second option, like a music teacher."

Smiling, the blond angel nodded his head. "It's good that you're considering the possibilities."

"You can be anything you want, Christian. Keep on dreaming." Monica said, covering his hand with hers.

"Thanks, Miss Monica." He replied, and then suppressed a sudden yawn.

"Well, it seems that you'll start dreaming already!" Tess rose from her chair and patted the boy's shoulder. "From what Monica told me, you had a long day, son. Come with me, I'll take you to your room."

Nodding, he turned to his new friends and smiled sleepily. "Good night, Monica. Good night, Andrew."

"G'night, buddy!"

"Have sweet dreams, Christian."

Andrew noticed as Monica's doe-like eyes followed the boy and how they were filled with sadness. As Christian and Tess disappeared through the door, the blond angel squeezed her hand.

"It's not been the easiest of the assignments, right?"

She finally averted her doe like pools from the door and looked at their conjoined hands. "You mean besides the fact that you rescued us from a horrible thunderstorm when our car broke down in the middle of nowhere? Then I have to say that no, it hasn't."

"You wanna talk about it?" He said, caressing her cheek with tenderness.

But Monica's usual selflessness stopped her from going on telling him about the latest events. "Aren't you hungry? You've been driving and must be tired, I'll ask Tess to-"

"I was sent to you at the moment Tess' car stopped." He gently interrupted her. "Right before that I was in my angelic form, and there was another little angel who I happen to love as much as I love you right here in my arms."

Monica's eyes were quickly filled with tears as she heard that, and a tearful smile broke on her face.

"And she fell asleep exactly at the moment I had to leave to go help her mom. Our little Angela has quite a perfect timing!"

The Irish angel nodded and her smile remained for a few seconds, as she recalled sweet Angela's cute face and her joy whenever she was with her parents. But the lovely memory soon faded away and she let out a tired sigh. "Parenting is... one of the most beautiful experiences in someone's life... a chance to expand one's love even more... to put into practice a great part of God's love. And yet they can be so mean sometimes, Andrew..."

"Humans are here to learn things that we, angels, know at the moment we are created."

"Christian's foster parents rejected him because of the colour of his skin." She said, straightforward, as she had seen what was inside the couple's heart.

Monica could also see all of Andrew's indignation at hearing that written in his dark green eyes. "I believe that these two people will go through this learning process in the hardest way. And Christian... I guess we wouldn't be sitting here if our Father didn't have a special plan for this boy."

The Irish angel nodded and got lost in her thoughts for a few seconds. And then she inched closer and kissed his face. "Thank you. For being there for us."

Smiling, he ran his fingers through her long auburn hair. "I was gonna tell you that you didn't need to thank me but if you keep on giving me some of these I'll skip that part."

A slight smile graced her face too. Not enough to erase the sorrow and disappointment at the human being's prejudice, though.

"How have you been? Too many hard assignments lately?" She wanted to know, gazing at his green pools as if searching for any trace of pain her dearest Andrew might have felt while they were away. Whenever she did it, Monica was quick to consider all the possible ways to cast it away with some of her usual chatter.

This time, however, she was relieved she could not detect anything like that in his soul. Yet, what she saw intrigued her.

"No, not at all, angel. I was glad that all those I escorted Home were people of faith and were genuinely happy and grateful to stand before our Father." His eyebrows knitted together and he bit his lower lip, as if trying to figure something out.

"What is it?"

"Hum... Nothing, I just... When I was sent to the road where I found you I thought the assignment would be different... I thought that I would be there as an angel of death. But I was wrong, especially because there were only you and Christian on the road."

He regretted his words at the moment he saw the worry in her doe-like eyes. "Do you think we were running any risk, do you-"

"Oh, no, angel. Not at all." Andrew took her hand to his lips and smiled. "I can assure you that all the time you and Christian were out there you were being watched by our Father and were not exposed to any possible danger."

Monica let out a small sigh, her heart finally at ease. "Do you think that you'll be able to stay here for longer?"

"Sure I will." He rose to his feet and gave her hand a gentle tug. "Come with me. The storm has moved away and my guess is that we'll have a clear sky for the rest of the night."

X

Monica and Andrew's lips parted briefly and she let out a soft sigh as Andrew kept on placing featherlike kisses on her face and delicate jaw before he captured her mouth once again. Under dim light, they had been sitting on the love seat that stood in front of the huge window located in a small hall on the second floor of Heaven's Door Bed and Breakfast. By that time all the guests had retired to their rooms, including the young eight-year-old who had been escorted by an Irish angel, and even Tess had bid "her babies" good night in order to take a rest from her earthly duties.

From the window, it was possible to have an amazing view of the horizon, surrounded with green hills that curved into beautiful valleys now illuminated by the full moon and thousands of twinkling stars; a gift after the thunderstorm that had chastised the nearby villages hours before.

The two angels in human form had been sitting there for a while, admiring the lovely view of the moon and the way its light shone across those vast fields. But at least for the latest minutes they became rather oblivious to the beauty of the nature. Andrew ran his hands through her auburn hair as another kiss started, slow and sweet as fortunately there was not an impending goodbye for neither of them. Andrew had been granted permission to stay there together with Monica and Tess until that assignment was over and he was grateful for that.

"I don't recall being that happy after facing such a terrible thunderstorm, you know Andrew..." Monica spoke, snuggling against his strong chest and letting out a contented sigh once their kiss ended.

As she closed her eyes, the blond angel kissed the top of her head and tightened the hold around her small form. "You've been driving for hours... must be exhausted." He said, tenderly caressing her long tresses as she unsuccessfully covered a yawn.

"I'm not that tired. We can stay here for a wee bit more."

She felt him chuckling at her sleepy words. "I can tell you're tired, sweet angel... You're practically dozing off against my chest. And for the record, you're the second lady who falls asleep on my chest today!"

Andrew lowered his head and, highly amused, watched as a sleepy grin covered her meek Gaelic features. "I hope you're talking about wee Angela besides me..."

Pretending to be considering a possibility, he frowned and cleared his throat. "Oh, well..."

He felt her gentle poke against his side and laughed at her mock indignation. Then, the blond angel kissed the top of her head lovingly and gave her a light squeeze. "Let's go to our room, angel, it's late."

Reluctantly, she rose to her feet and allowed him to guide her along the corridor up to the second door on the right. And as much as she fought it, the truth was that exhaustion was starting to take over her human body and once they entered their room, Monica lay down on their bed and snuggled against the soft pillow.

Chuckling at the way she curled up in bed light like a little girl and immediately closed her eyes, Andrew opened up the closet door. "There must be a nightgown somewhere here, angel."

When he turned around with the garment in his hands, however, he saw that his lovely angel girl was already sound asleep against the soft sheets. Shaking his head, he placed the nightgown over a nearby chair and sat by the end of the bed. Gently, so she did not wake up, the blond angel removed her shoes and covered her small form with a warm blanket.

"My sweet angel girl... You're certainly the most adorable creature that there is in this world." He whispered against her ear. "And I love you very much."

Andrew kissed her cheek and lay down next to her, carefully pulling her closer to him. The way Monica would let go of her pillow and immediately snuggle against him always endeared the blond angel. Instants later, she was in his arms and Andrew was lost in admiration, tracing her beautiful face and the meekness of her Gaelic features, treasuring the moment as if it was unique.

X

Christian woke up in the middle of the night with a start. Despite the fact that the thunderstorm had gone and that it was a peaceful and silent night, the boy felt some slight tension in the air he could not explain. He elected to think that it was due to the hard day he and "Miss Monica" had spent and, unable to fall asleep again, Christian pulled off the blanket and put on his sandals. Funny how "Miss Tess" had arranged him clothes and footwear that suited him so perfectly.

Somewhat carefully, the boy walked along the corridor and reached the stairs that took him to the first floor. Besides the roast beef sandwich, Miss Tess had given him a delicious piece of apple pie and Christian felt he could have some more of it before he left on the following morning.

The boy crossed the main hall and headed to the kitchen as Tess had left the pie over the dining table. He entered the kitchen and was confused for a moment as the lights were off. Searching for the light switch, Christian touched the cold kitchen walls, but before he found it, the boy stumbled into something on the floor he could not clearly see.

Fortunately, he found the light switch on the following second and when the lights were finally on, his blood ran cold at what he found on the floor: a woman, probably in her late thirties, was lying on the floor. She was breathing hard and held her hand up when she saw Christian.

"...please... help me..."

He felt his heart racing and his legs trembled in fear. The woman's face was too pale and she seemed to be dying. But what he did not see was the blond angel standing beside her, invisible to the human eye. The expression on Andrew's face was one of sorrow.

"I'll... I'll get someone, miss..." He said, taking the woman's proffered hand, and then with all the force within him, he shouted. "Help!" The boy's voice suddenly broke the silence of the night and soon woke the guests up.

"Help! Please! Somebody help!"

He let go of the woman's hand and rushed up to the main hall, where his voice could be heard from all the rooms.

Moments later, the guests, including the woman's husband, came downstairs to see what was going on. Tess and Monica saw the woman lying on the floor as well as Andrew, wearing his usual beige suit. The blond angel looked at his two co-workers with a worried expression on his face. They could see that Mrs Carter was standing in a thin line between life and death and hoped that Andrew did not have to fulfil another assignment, as the husband's despair was heartbreaking.

They did not know how much time passed until the paramedics arrived and took Mrs Carter to the nearest hospital and started an intensive treatment in order to save her life. But as soon as they were gone, the red Cadillac miraculously started to work again and Tess and Monica, taking young Christian with her, could follow the ambulance up to Mercy General.

X

"Oh, Tess, I just hope Andrew comes back to us in his human form... I know he does not want to take Mrs Carter Home, I felt his heart..." A worried Monica spoke, sitting on a hospital bench next to her dear friend and supervisor. Christian had fallen asleep against her and the Irish angel had carefully placed a warm blanket over his small form. She would never forget the look in the boy's eyes; despite his young age he showed great worry about the woman he had found lying on the kitchen floor. The doctors had spoken of a heart failure but there was nothing certain about what was really going on.

"The Father placed you all here for a reason... I did not understand it from the start, but now... Now it all makes sense..." The supervisor placed a supportive hand over her charge's shoulder.

A moment later, they heard another familiar voice.

"It makes sense to me too, Tess." Andrew suddenly came along the corridor towards them and the two angels looked at him with expectation and, reading the question that was written in their eyes, he was quick to add. "Mrs Carter had an obstruction in one of the veins that takes the blood to her heart. But she will be fine now."

His smile matched theirs and the two angels heaved a sigh of relief at hearing that.

"Oh, thank You, Father!"

"I prayed so much, Andrew! I saw the anguish on her husband's face..."

He gently caressed her cheek. "I know what you mean, angel..." The very thought of having to go separate ways from Monica was enough to causing him great sadness and he knew that the same went to his beloved angel. So he had an idea of what Mr Carter was feeling. "... But thanks to your little friend here, Mr and Mrs Carter will spend many springs together!'

It was then that Christian stirred lightly and opened his sleepy eyes. The angels' attention turned to him and he faced them back with a questioning look.

"Miss Monica?"

Before she could say something, the doctor who was watching over Mrs Carter came through the door that led to the ICU. Mr Carter had been waiting for some news, quietly standing in a corner with a hopeless look in his eyes and Dr Stevens was quick to put an end to his suffering and give him the good news.

Tess, Monica and Andrew were moved to see the tears of joy on the man's eyes, and young Christian smiled, aware that everything seemed to be just fine for the poor woman.

"I guess this story has a happy ending, Christian!" Monica happily announced, as Mr Carter walked up to them with a grateful expression on his face.

"My wife... The doctor said she will live..." he spoke, still not believing the good news.

Tess rose to her feet smiling back at him. "We heard it, Mr Carter. And we were praying for that."

The man turned to look at Christian; overwhelmed with emotion, he touched the boy's shoulder. "It was you... Thanks to you Melissa will live..." Visibly embarrassed, the boy looked at the angels and back at the man, who kept on talking. "... I feel don't have enough words to thank you, son..."

Andrew gave a step forward to stand closer to his two angelic companions and lowered his voice, "Happier than we thought, angel!"

X

"The Father's wonderful plans never cease to amaze me, you know Andrew. It's impressive how He knits all the smallest things and at the end comes up with a beautiful work of art."

Her Irish lilt was like music to Andrew's ears. They were back at Heaven's Door Bed and Breakfast but it was a warm night without storms now and they took the chance to sit in the gazebo to appreciate the view of the moor and the grandiosity of the star-filled sky. The angels were going to remain there for at least two more days, when finally they would watch Monica's assignment be successfully accomplished. Constantly playing on their mind was the memory of young Christian meeting Mrs Carter and of the moved look in the woman's eyes at seeing the child before her – her saviour. It seemed that a new family had been created as its members were instantly connected.

Andrew had been listening to her eternal chatter for the last hour, in between loving kisses and affectionate words, and nodded in agreement with that remark. "Even more beautiful than we had thought, I'd say, angel." He spoke, with his arms wrapped around her small shoulders and enjoying the fact that she was leaning against him; the closeness making it possible for Andrew to breathe in her sweet perfume and run his fingers through her long auburn strands.

Monica raised her head searching for his eyes. "Do you think it'll be too long before they can adopt Christian?"

"My guess is that even if the process takes a little, Melissa and Jonathan will be so present in Christian's life that it'll feel like they are already connected for the rest of their life." He spoke, winking at her and loving the hopeful look in her eyes. And when her smile grew wider, he could not resist to leaning down and brushing another kiss against her rosy lips, feeling her small hand against his jaw and her slender fingertips caressing his face.

"Somehow I recall you brought me here for an astronomy class..." Monica spoke, snuggling closer to him when their lips parted.

"Is that a complaint?" He wanted to know, with eyebrows raised and a mischievous smile.

"Not at all, just a statement. I like it when my teacher and rescuer changes the plans a wee bit!"

Enjoying his laughter, Monica straightened her body so she could reach his face and place a tender kiss against his cheek. "I love you so very much! So much that I will remain quiet now and just let you take control of everything from now on!"

Andrew chuckled at that statement, for he knew that at the end of the day his sweet angel girl was actually the one who had him wrapped around her finger. With infinite tenderness, he caressed her face and then tightened the hold around her body. "Close your eyes, angel."

Smiling back at him, she obeyed to his command and waited for a few more seconds with childish expectation. Before he captured her lips once again, however, the blond angel still took an instant to contemplate her meek features, drinking in her beauty and feeling the love that emanated from her heart to his. Then, he whispered against her ear. "I love you for always, sweet angel of mine!"

A loving kiss sealed that special moment and it was followed by many others, along with tender words and constant promises of their eternal love.

X

To be continued.


	64. A mysterious letter

Angel of mine series

Episode 64 – A mysterious letter

Under the warm summer sun and the bluest of the skies, a bright eyed angel moved around the calm sidewalk filled with trees, walking slowly instead of riding the purple bicycle that she patiently pushed along and admired her quiet and neat neighbourhood with a smile playing on her lips. The uniform she was wearing was a clear announcement of her current assignment: the pretty mail lady had already become friends with some of the people who lived there. The talkative Mrs Fraser and her wee dog Peebles, the ninety-two year old Mr Dogson, who knew everything about coffee, and the cute little boy who lived in the house on the corner and who insisted that he had seen the pretty lady disappear in a bright light two days before.

But Monica wasn't sure of what her assignment was yet and so far she kept wondering who would be in need of her help. As her eyes caught the number of the next house, the Irish angel stopped her slow walk. She put her bike aside and searched inside her bag, soon finding a letter addressed from Mississippi. Before she could place it inside the mail box, however, Monica checked the address one more time, just as a precaution.

"Hey, good morning, miss!"

A voice coming from the yard interrupted her action and she saw a smiling lady coming towards her.

"Oh, good morning. I guess this belongs to you." She replied, handling the letter.

"Thanks, I was expecting this, it must be the phone bill!"

Showing some sympathy, Monica nodded her head. "Oh... Phone bills are very... requested..."

"If this one comes like the last month's, my daughter and I will have a little chat! We-" She stopped talking when her eyes rest upon the addressee. "Oh, not again..."

"Anything wrong?" Monica wanted to know, with a questioning expression.

"This is the hundredth time this letter is sent to this address. But there's nobody called Douglas Fisher here!"

"Nobody?" The angel took the letter back in her hands and examined it herself. "Are you sure? You see, I've double checked the information as I've happened to be in the wrong address once. I ended up in Florida instead of Illinois, and..." she stopped talking, electing not to give too much detail about a past assignment that caused her to be arrested and placed in a mental institution. "... I can say it brought me a wee bit of trouble."

"Well, I'm sure there's nobody here called Fisher. I've been living in this house for over five years and these letter keep coming here."

"It must be for the person who owned the house before you..." Monica ventured.

"No, the previous owner's name was Howards."

"Oh, I see..."

"If you excuse me, I have to go inside now. Have a nice day!"

"Thank you! Have a nice day you too..." The angel kept looking at the letter in her hands and now she saw it not just as a mail carrier's job but a mystery.

It was then that another voice reached her ears.

"Phone bills are very 'requested'?"

Her lips curved into a joyful smile as she turned around and saw a rather charming Andrew gazing at her with an equally charming smile. And Monica was quick to notice a little detail about his human form.

"Andrew... You've had your hair cut!"

Happy that she was pleased with it, he nodded his head. "Well, yeah. I took some time to go to the barber between one assignment and another."

She gave one step closer to him and kissed his cheek. "You look quite dashing yourself!"

"Thank you..." the blond angel said, visibly pleased with that sweet caress. And then he looked down at her. "And talking about appearances, I noticed that there's a quite cute mail lady in the neighbourhood!"

"Oh, well, initially I kept wondering what the purpose of my being here was. I have to confess that I've met some very interesting people already, though. Mrs Fraser loves talking and she instructed me about most neighbours in this and the nearby streets. And her wee dog Peebles is such a cute little creature I even considered the possibility of our wee Angela to have one too, if and when I manage to convince Tess about it as well." Andrew chuckled at that comment, trying to picture the scene she had just described. "And Mr Dogson taught me two new recipes with mocha latte and small coffee grains... I think even you will love it!" She told him, her doe-like eyes holding a natural spark Andrew would never get tired of looking at. "And the wee ones are so amorous, you see. They constantly remind me of our Angela! So joyful and curious!"

Finding her enthusiasm rather adorable, Andrew removed a strand of hair from her face and bent down to kiss her lips. "I bet you've already made most of the neighbours fall in love with you!"

Slightly blushed, the Irish angel kept on talking, her smile never fading. "Well, although I had met all these nice people so far I could not fathom what or who my assignment is. That until just a couple of minutes ago..."

Monica showed him the letter in her hands as if she was holding a treasure. "You see, I found out this letter keeps being sent to this same address directed to Mr Douglas Fisher but the owner of the house told me there is no Douglas Fisher in here!"

He took the piece of paper from her hands and examined it carefully. "Hum... Raleigh, North Carolina... So far from Utah..."

"Exactly. This is what makes it more intriguing."

"You said Mrs Fraser is the one who knows everything about everyone in the area... perhaps she can tell you who Douglas Fisher is."

Her face lit up with another cute smile. "Oh... That's a lovely thought, Andrew!"

"Let's go there, I'll give you some help with the bike!"

"Oh, thank you. It looks lovely after I gave it a wee bit of an angel's touch, doesn't it?" She was referring to its colour, which was different from the other mail carrier's bicycles around.

Chuckling, he kept on pushing the vehicle and walking side by side with her. "Yeah, it looks pretty. And I'm glad it's been helping you deliver the mail."

It was then that the smile on her face faded a little. "Actually... I've been carrying it around and only carrying..."

"What do you mean, Monica?" he wanted to know, frowning with confusion.

"Well... the truth is that... I can't cycle meself..."

The blond angel was taken aback by that sudden confession. "No way!"

"Everything happened so fast that... I didn't have time to learn." She looked at the palm of her hands and at her knees, which held the marks of the few times she tried to ride the bicycle. "I confess I've made a few attempts, though."

With worry filled eyes, he made a brief stop and took one of her hands, examining it carefully. "Monica..."

"I found out that bicycles are very unstable..." she said, as he now turned to look at her knees.

"I'll check these bruises first opportunity we have."

Not wanting him to worry about just a few scratches, she gave her shoulders a tiny shrug. "Oh, that's not so serious, Andrew. I've already put some antiseptic on them, they should be fine."

"Well, then I'll double check them, okay? Just to be sure!" he insisted, in a way that left no room for her to disagree. Touched by his eternal care, she smiled warmly at him as they reassumed their slow walk.

"You are such a good carer that now I don't even feel embarrassed about not being able to ride a bicycle!"

"We'll have to see about that one too!"

"Will you teach me?" The hopeful look in her eyes was both endearing and moving.

"Of course I will, angel!"

Pleased and relieved to hear that, she smiled at him one more time and wrapped her arms around his. "Am I not blessed to have me own personal angelic instructor?"

"Always at your service, baby!" Andrew cheerfully replied.

Monica took advantage of the fact that he turned his face to hers and, standing on her tiptoes, she brushed a tender kiss against his lips.

The two angels in human form headed to the beginning of the street and stopped in front of a lovely white house. Monica rang the bell and it did not take it too long for a friendly old lady appear behind the window glasses, in between the curtains. When she saw the mail lady, Mrs Fraser smiled and waved, opening the door for her a few seconds later. A very curious brown basset came to greet the angel even before the house owner could say good morning.

"Hullo, wee Peebles! I take it you're quite cheerful today!" she said, kneeling down for a moment so she could stroke the little animal's soft fur.

"My little friend here loves you, Monica!" The old lady spoke, genuinely glad to see her new friend.

The Irish angel stood on her feet again and smiled back at her. "Good morning, Mrs Fraser!"

"Good morning, sweetie! I'm glad to see you around! I thought that there were no letters for me today!" She said, and then turned her eyes from the young mail carrier to her companion, who had left the bicycle leaning against the fence and had just climbed the porch steps so that he could join her.

"Oh, actually I have no letters for you, Mrs Fraser."

"Hum, I see... Don't you tell me that you got me a special delivery..." The old lady purposefully turned her eyes to Andrew now, who could avoid chuckling at her insinuation.

Trying to hide her amusement, Monica exchanged a quick gaze with the blond angel and looked back at her interlocutor. "This is Andrew, he's my-"

"Oh, you don't need to tell me that he's _yours_, honey!" She gently interrupted her and winked with mischief, "Even old eyes like mine can see that just by the way he looks at you!"

Once again, the couple of angels exchanged another amused look, and Andrew reached out to shake hands with the spirited old lady. "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs Fraser!"

"The same goes to you, my dear."

They exchanged another glance and Monica showed the old lady the letter that had been intriguing her. "Mrs Fraser, I was wondering if perhaps you could help me out with something rather unexpected. You see, I was going to deliver this letter at number 309 but the lady who owns the house told me there's no Douglas Fisher living in there. She also told me that this letter keeps being sent to this address over the years and as you mentioned you've been living here for a long time, I'd like to know if you have any idea of who this gentleman is."

Mrs Fraser took the letter in her hands and examined the name written on it. "Douglas Fisher..."

She frowned and fell silent for a few seconds, clearly checking in her memory if that name sounded familiar in any way. The two angels looked at each other again and the blond angel could detect the anxiety in his beloved angel girl's eyes.

But those moments of suspense were suddenly over when Mrs Fraser spoke again. "Oh, but of course! This is the Doctor!"

"The doctor?" Monica's face clouded over with confusion.

"Yes, that's him! Douglas Fisher lived in that house a long time ago, when I came to live here. But he didn't stay there for long, you see. He was no doctor at all but there were rumours that the during the Second World War he helped save and take care of many soldiers after a sudden attack to their base. The real doctor did not survive the bombs but Fisher took his place and saved many lives."

The little angel's face softened and instant tears appeared in the corner of her eyes. "He sounds like a wonderful human being."

What Monica did not see was the expression on Andrew's face. As the old lady told them the short narrative, he frowned as if that story made more sense to him than to Monica.

"Do you happen to know where he moved to?" he suddenly wanted to know.

"The Doctor didn't stay here for long, I'm afraid. I've heard that he moved to the south of the country, but I can't tell for sure."

"I'm not so certain we will be able to find him, Andrew. It's still so little for us to start looking for him." Monica spoke, with some disappointment in her voice.

But Andrew's enigmatic smile only made her more confused.

"Mrs Fraser do you think you could keep Monica's bike here for a while? There's a place we should go." He said, taking Monica's hand into his.

The woman's face lit up with amusement and a hint of mischief. "Oh, I'll be happy to, Andrew! I can see there's much urgency in your eyes!"

Slightly blushed, Andrew cleared his throat, while Monica kept looking at him and at Mrs Fraser with an even more puzzled expression and totally oblivious to the old lady's insinuation.

"A place? But what place is it, Andrew?" she said, as he gently guided her down the porch stairs.

"I think I can help you out here!" He replied, still embarrassed by Mrs Fraser's inquisitive gaze.

"Really?"

"Yep!"

The old lady waved them goodbye. "Don't worry, dear. Go with your Andrew. Peebles and I will take care of your bike!"

Monica smiled and returned the wave. "Oh... Thank you, Mrs Fraser! See you later then!"

"See you! And take your time!"

"Where exactly are we going, Andrew?" the Irish angel wanted to know, once they were back in the sidewalk.

"Greenville, Mississippi."

"Greenville? But that's a wee bit far from here, don't you think?"

"Yeah, well, not for us!" he winked at her and elicited a small giggle from his sweet angel girl. But still sensing her doubt he added. "We'll pay a new visit to my barber!"

X

"Hey, look who's here!"

A friendly old gentleman came from inside a neat barber shop towards the couple who had just crossed the entrance door. There weren't many clients at that time of the day and they noticed that the man had been watching TV so far.

"Hey, doc! I didn't think we would meet again so soon!" Andrew replied, smiling broadly and shaking hands with him.

"Oh, Andrew, I'm not so sure if it's nice to see you back!" The gentleman playfully spoke, "I'm starting to fear that this beautiful lady you brought with you came here to complain about your haircut!"

Monica let out a small laughter as he politely took her hands to his lips while Andrew introduced them.

"Doc, this is my wife, Monica."

"It's an honour to meet you, young lady. Andrew here has told me about you for many times, but his comments don't do justice!" the man was visibly enchanted by the angel's physical traits. "With all due respect, you are very beautiful!"

"That's very kind of you!"

"Monica, this is Douglas Fisher," Andrew finally revealed and was delighted to see the impact of that piece of news on the little angel's brown eyes.

"Douglas Fisher?" She repeated, her voice filled with surprise.

"But everybody calls me 'the Doctor'!" the man was quick to add.

Monica looked at Andrew and then back at their interlocutor. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr Fisher." She said, taking the letter from her pocket. "And I can assure you that I didn't come here to complain about Andrew's haircut..." she made a short pause and looked at her husband with a pleased smile. "Actually I think you did a very good job!"

"Thank you, ma'am!" He replied, with some pride in his voice. Then, he noticed the inscription in her uniform. "Utah mail service, huh? If it wasn't for Andrew I would be asking myself what brought you so far!"

"I came here to deliver a letter... Accidentally sent to the wrong address."

She handed him the small letter she had been carrying. "This is for you..."

With surprise, he took the letter and looked at the young woman standing before him. "You came all the way from Utah to deliver this letter here?"

"In fact, I go where I'm needed, Mr Fisher. And so does Andrew. Please, open it up."

When the man turned his eyes to the envelope and read its sender, he frowned with confusion. "It says here it was sent by a lady named 'Anna Carter'. But I don't know who this is..."

"Are you sure?" Monica asked, not able to hide her anxiety and wondering if her investigation about the mysterious letter had been a wrong step to take.

"Yes... Let's see what its content is about..."

Both angels watched as Douglas opened the envelope and started to read the rather long text inside it.

And as he ran his old eyes on the paper, tears of emotion suddenly appeared and were soon rolling down his face. "Oh, my God..."

"Doc? You're okay?" Andrew placed a supportive hand over the man's shoulder.

Monica reached for a nearby chair and helped him take a seat as the always so playful "doctor" was now feeling his legs trembling at what he had just read.

"_Dear Mr Fisher,_

_You do not know me, but I'm positively sure you knew my mother, Ella Carter. For her entire life, she told me stories about her love for a brave young man who was assigned to serve in the Second World War right before his engagement. She was his fiancée and when she heard the news that he had probably been killed in an attack on a military basis, her heart broke into pieces as she had not only lost the one she loved but also... the father of her baby..." _he spoke, causing Monica and Andrew to look at each other with surprise.

"So you actually knew her mother?"

"I most certainly did, Monica. Ellie... My Ellie... I never loved anyone like I loved her. All these years, I kept the memory of her in my heart and the guilty for not looking for her hard enough to find her. But her family moved away and I had no idea where to look for... And I never knew she got pregnant..." he said, and then resumed his reading. _"I am this baby and only a couple of years ago, a bit before Ella passed away, I found out that my father was not the man to whom she got married. I've been trying to contact you but I'm not sure where to find you, so I hope that somehow this letter reaches you. In case it does, I want you to know that you have not only a daughter but three grandchildren and we are all very curious and quite anxious to meet you. Regards, Anna."_

"Doc... This is... It's one of the best surprises anyone could have!" Andrew spoke, placing a supportive hand over his friend's shoulder and smiling.

"I... I thought there was nothing else left for me to wait for other than... than to watch my days go by..."

"Oh, but now... now you have a family! A beautiful family who is waiting for you!" The Irish angel spoke, her eyes also filled with tears.

A trembling smile broke on his face and he nodded his head. "I do, don't I?"

"Yes, you do, doc!"

"I need to meet them! I need to close the shop so I can pack my things and go to North Carolina immediately!"

X

Monica and Andrew watched, in their angelic form, as the old gentleman climbed the porch stairs of the beautiful white house at the end of the street. It particularly called the Irish angel's attention as the lilacs grew in front of it and over its white fence, adding even more beauty to the already neat building. Carrying a bouquet of white roses, Douglas raised a trembling hand to ring the bell and waited for just a few moments.

A seven year old curious boy appeared through the curtains and, now smiling, he seemed to call somebody. Seconds later, the door was finally opened and a blond lady greeted him with a broad smile. And if Douglas was still finding that story rather incredible, now he had no doubt about who that the young woman before him was. Her face, her smile, the hair and her eyes were like her mother's and it seemed that he could see his beloved "Ellie" right there.

"I'm... I'm Douglas... Douglas Fisher..." He reached out to shake hands with her, his eyes once again filled with emotion.

"I know... Mom used to talk so much about you that I didn't expect you to be any different..." she said, also moved and with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"You are so much like her... It seems... It seems she's here right now..."

"I know she is... Somehow... She might have sent angels to find you so that we both could be here right now."

Hearing that, Monica and Andrew looked at each other again and the blond angel could see that his sweet valentine was already crying. Smiling and finding her sensitive character rather endearing, he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"You know what... looking back at the events that led me to your letter, I firmly believe that we've been guided by God." He said, offering her the bouquet he had been holding. "They were your mother's favourite."

"Thank you... They're my favourite too... Please, come in."

Through the window glass, it was possible to witness the two curious little boys and the sweet little girl surrounding Mr Fisher and looking at him with a mix of wonder and curiosity, as they had just been introduced to a brand new grandfather. Anna's husband soon shook hands with him and invited the old gentleman to seat.

Feeling Monica's sniffling, Andrew stroked her hair with tenderness.

"Oh, Andrew... I never thought that working as a mail lady would lead me to help this beautiful story come true!" she said, tears falling from her soft doe-like eyes.

The blond angel handed her a handkerchief and nodded with a pleased smile. "A few days as a mail lady and a visit to the barber's!" he added, chuckling even more when she sobbed again and buried her face against his chest.

X

The Irish angel watched with attention as her dearest friend gently pressed a gauze embedded with some antiseptic against her knees. They had moved away from their latest assignment's house and back to the mountains, where a cozy little cabin worked as a shelter whenever the angels were on Earth. Sitting on an armchair placed in the porch, Monica titled her head and smiled with affection as Andrew finished his job and still gave it a final check before turning to look at her.

"There you go. While you are on this beautiful human form of yours, you won't feel any pain, angel." He said, on his knees, and caressing her leg.

"As if I was not blessed enough, now I have me own angelic doctor!" she joked, stroking his short hair.

"Well, instructor, doctor... the thing is that I'll always be here to take care of you!" Andrew bent down and kissed each of her knees softly, eliciting a giggling from her.

"Oh, Andrew... I wonder if this is part of the treatment!"

Smiling, he stood on his feet and took her in his arms. "Let's say I gave it 'a little bit of an touch'!" he said, winking at her before capturing her lips in his own.

"Are we ready for the cycling lesson?" he said, still placing feather light kisses against her face.

Smiling up at him, she tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Well, I think the cycling lessons will be lovely, but I guess they can wait a wee bit more because I want to have a little chat with my charming instructor first..."

"Well, in that case I have to inform you that your spirited friend, Mrs Fraser, is right: I'm all yours, angel!" he said, winking at her and with a seductive smile that only caused her heart to beat faster with love.

With tenderness, he kissed her lips once more, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her up to her feet so he could press her body against his, glad when she encircled her arms around his neck, accepting and returning his sweet caress with the same intensity and much affection.

X

To be continued


	65. Uniqueness

Angel of Mine Series

Episode: Uniqueness

The eighteen-year-old lady crossed the school fields in a hurry, passing by other students who were now leaving the building as the morning classes had already finished. Overwhelmed, Joanne had come out of the music department where she had just been through an audition and on her face there was a mix of contradictory emotions: joy, fear and shock at what she had just been able to do. The girl's footsteps only ceased when she left the crowd of students behind and she approached the gardens. There, she leaned against an old tree and tried to catch her breath, still wondering how in the world she had managed to go up on a stage and sing so beautifully, enchanting the music director and his co-workers. She never thought she mattered that much.

"I hear you made a wonderful presentation just now..."

The Irish angel's soothing voice did not startle her and the girl seemed happy to see the school librarian, who she had grown so fond of for the latest month.

"Monica? You saw it?"

"I did. And it looks like you are more surprised with your wonderful performance than I am!" She replied, with a cheerful expression on her face.

"I don't know how I had the courage to do it..." She said, taking her breath and initially staring at an invisible point ahead of her.

"Oh, I do." Monica replied, placing a supportive hand over her shoulder and finally making the young student look at her. "This talent of yours was so strong inside your heart that it was screaming to be shown to the world. it's such a precious gift and your loving Father is so happy to see that you've finally used it the way He intended you to."

"Everything you told me... about how much I mattered to this world... Nobody has ever told me that with so much truth..." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I spent my life looking at myself in the mirror and loathing my image, wondering how someone overweight like me would be loved and special the way my parents used to tell me if I'm not equal to everyone... if I'm not as beautiful like everyone."

"Joanne, every human being is different and I'm not talking about physical appearances. Everyone comes to this world with a special gift and is special in God's eyes. Do not let others tell you that this gift is less than precious. Do not allow people who don't know you take you for granted just because you do not fit their beauty or character standards."

"I guess I did, right? I guess I spent my whole life listening to lies and believing them... Believing that I was not capable of doing anything important, that I could never be 'beautiful' because the ideal of what beauty that some people wanted me to believe in did not match what I looked like."

"And then you neglected yourself and everything that you are, your gift for music included."

"Do you think that I'll be accepted in the choir?"

"I know you will." Monica replied, and before the girl could say something else, a beautiful glow involved Monica's form, causing Joanne's heart to beat faster once again. "Monica?"

"Please, don't be afraid, Joanne. I'm an angel."

"An angel? You mean, like a guardian angel?"

"Sort of. I'm actually the angel of truth. I was sent by God to let you know how much you matter to Him. To help you discover the precious gift he has graced you with on the day you were born so that you could bring joy to many of His other children. Through your voice, you'll reach many hearts all over the world and inspire other youngsters to develop their own talent, just like someone has done to you when you were a little girl."

Joanne's mind travelled back in time and she remembered her first concert, the first time she had heard a soprano live and what she felt despite being so young at age.

"It was so... I just cannot explain what it was like."

"Don't worry, I guess I have an idea. And most importantly, God knows what is in your heart, Joanne. He knows how much you love music and how your spirit rejoices every time you sing. It is your way to offer your prayers."

Joanne's eyes were filled with tears and she managed a trembling smile. "I want to do it, Monica... This is what I want to do for the rest of my life!"

"Then go ahead, Joanne. Do not be afraid or feel inferior because of the colour of your skin or because your hair isn't long enough or because of the size you dress." The angel tilted her head and looked straight into her assignment's eyes. "What I mean is that you are unique. What people consider 'beauty' may cause powerful impacts and become ideals. But what is the ideal beauty? You see, humans tend to pursue it from paintings to magazines and television... But the truth is that ideals change from time to time and it seems that reaching beauty is all about trying to live up to an ideal. Which is pretty much a hopeless pursuit, because ideals are not real. You are!"

The angel reached out and stroked the girl's teary face, aware of the great amount of suffering Joanne had been under during her entire life, the bully and even the prejudice for not having the "perfect" human form as some of her school mates had established. "You are beautiful, in and outside, and perfect in the way God intended you to be. So please don't listen to anything different. Those who really love you, will never compare you to others because it is you who makes the difference in their life."

Wiping her tears, the young lady nodded her head. "Thank you so much, Monica... I knew there was something special about you, just couldn't tell what..." She said. "May I give you a hug?"

"Of course you can."

After she bid her assignment goodbye, Monica still remained there in the school garden, watching as Joanne walked back into the building so that she could receive the news about her joining the city choir. She especially noticed the young boy who approached his colleague to congratulate her for the performance, as the news was spreading fast. The angel smiled, aware of the extra spark in the boy's eyes when he looked at his friend and at the future she could trace for both of them.

Only when the two students were no longer within her view did Monica turn away. And, still in angelic form, she was suddenly surprised to see who had been watching her from a distance, also glowing with God's love.

"Andrew!"

With a broad smile, he started a walk over up to her now that she had realised his presence, but Monica's footsteps were faster and in a matter of instants, she was already in his arms.

"You look gorgeous when you glow like that!" He said, lovingly kissing her cheek.

Enjoying his warm embrace, she smiled back at him. "Well, you look quite handsome yourself too when you are in your angelic form!" As words came out of her mouth, her face suddenly turned into a serious one. "Are you here on assignment?"

"Oh, no, no! I actually got the day off and spent the morning playing with an adorable little angel in the fields of God!" He happily informed, placing a broad smile back on her face.

"Ah, Andrew! You have no idea how much joy I feel when I hear you and wee Angela get the chance to spend some time together!"

"She fell asleep right here in my arms!" He happily informed.

Monica wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him. "I can't think of a more comfortable place!"

"Good that you think so because I have a message for you, my beautiful angel of truth!"

She raised her head up to face him with a curious expression. "What is it?"

"Well, I got to spend half of my day off with little Angela and the other half I was granted with another a lovely companion!"

Andrew winked at her and chuckled at the way she eyed him back. "Hum... I see... I wonder who that might be!"

X

The silence of the night was occasionally broken by the noise of a cricket and by the sound of the wood logs burning in a bonfire carefully lit up in a clearing a couple of hours before. It had been a hot summer day and despite the temperature fall after the sun went down behind the mountains, the night was a pleasant one. Thousands of stars beautifully spread over a black canvas where one would gaze at and be certain of a higher power and a bright full moon lightening up the forest in that secluded part of the Earth, where only the fire and a small tent were the indication that there were visitors around.

A soothing voice, nearly an angel's whisper, echoed in the nearly untouched woods.

"Andrew?"

The angel of death had thought that his dear companion had long fallen asleep in his arms as he had not heard her since she had found similarities between a constellation and an espresso machine. The two angels in human form had set that campsite early in the morning, when Andrew had gladly brought his sweet valentine for a one-day-escapade during their time off.

"Yes, angel?" he spoke, tenderly running his fingers along her auburn tresses.

"Do you remember the first time you've been in human form?"

He frowned slightly at that question, but knew that it was a result of Monica's inquisitive mind, which remained in full activity even when her body was almost succumbing to sleep.

"Yes, I do. It's been a while, though!" he half joked, giving her a light squeeze.

The Irish angel had been resting her head over his chest but once she got his attention, Monica stirred and turned her face up to meet his own, propping her chin on her folded hands. "How did you feel? I mean, when you first materialised in your human body?"

Andrew considered that question for a while. "Hum... Heavier... Stuck to the ground, I might say.'

"I see..."

Noticing that she was working on something in her little mind, Andrew playfully touched the tip of her nose. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Joanne, my latest assignment. For her entire life she felt imprisoned in her body and grew up believing that it was imperfect and wrong. And at first I was thinking that how could someone feel so unhappy about such a precise and valuable gift just because it does not meet other humans expectations. What about God's expectations?"

"It needs a good amount of faith for people to realise that, or perhaps only an angel to deliver the Father's message." He spoke. "Did she have any health problem?"

"Not at all, Andrew. And what a beautiful voice!" Monica replied, with visible admiration. "I had a glimpse of her future and saw that this voice will reach ears all over the world and bring much joy and enchantment to many. Isn't it a beautiful way to show one of God's wonderful creations?"

"I believe that you made her realise that fact right before I showed up and invited you for this day off, right?"

She smiled at the memory of the eighteen year old soprano giving her a warm hug and thanking her for everything she had done for her over the latest couple of weeks and then of her beloved Andrew appearing behind her moments after her assignment walked away. "She had a spark of joy in her eyes that I'm sure will never ever fade again."

Andrew straightened his body and tilted his head, searching for her soft brown eyes. "What about you, angel? How did you feel when you first materialised into this beautiful human form of yours?"

"Well... I guess I felt... astonished... All of a sudden, there were all these veins and bones and... and blood running through me... I could feel my heart beating and my lungs filled with air..." She made a short pause and then spoke again, "I confess I was a wee bit afraid but at the same time, I felt curious..."

Chuckling, Andrew placed a loose hair strand behind her ear. "Curious? You? I'd never tell!" He joked, eliciting sleepy giggle from her.

"Above all things, it seemed a great challenge." Monica finally concluded.

"I know what you mean, baby." He said, leaning over and brushing a loving kiss against her forehead.

"Until then I had been a wee angel who would spend time walking through heaven rejoicing at God's infinite love and listening to the singing of the choir. And then I was suddenly dragged to this world, setting my bare feet on the fields of Ireland."

Andrew smiled, picturing his beloved angel girl at that time, wondering how scared and marvelled she might have been then.

"I wish I had been with you..."

"Well, I wish I had met you then too. But I guess the Father decided that first time on Earth and falling in love at the same time would mean a lot of wonderful new emotions!"

He laughed at her words and gently wrapped both arms around her small form.

"Of course there are many other wonderful moments, such as tasting a good espresso or a double mocha latte... But I guess I only felt as astonished as I was when I first took my human form in two other occasions."

Still chuckling, he encouraged her to keep on speaking. "And which were these, angel?"

Andrew watched as her face became suddenly blushed and she gave an equally embarrassed smile.

"Well... One of them was when we... first loved each other..." His smile grew wider at that memory and at the extra spark he could see in her doe-like eyes.

The blond angel traced a line along her cheek and jaw; lovely flashbacks crossing his mind. "That night is certainly going to be in my memory for the centuries to come, baby. Experiencing God's love, having the honour to love and belong to you and watching Angela's birth... There's nothing in this whole universe that can be compared to these moments."

Holding his gaze and with a broader smile, Monica inched closer and kissed his cheek. "You are right. The other moment was exactly when I got pregnant with Angela... Feeling her growing inside of me and then brining our little angel to life... It's such a strong emotion I can hardly put into words."

"You looked so beautiful when you were expecting her!"

Monica playfully raised her eyebrows. "You are a wee bit biased to say that since you were directly involved in the event, don't ya think?"

Laughing, Andrew straightened his body to look at her entire form, protected by a warm sweater and jeans, and under a thick blanket due to the slightly chilly night air. "Well, then I guess I should confess that even before we first kissed I already thought you looked great in tights!"

Enjoying her giggling, the blond angel inched closer and silenced her with a soft kiss and it took her only a moment to adjust to that loving caress.

"I love you so much..." she whispered afterwards.

"You'll have my love forever, Monica." Came his soft reply, green eyes lost in her brown ones.

"Will you be here when the morning comes?" She wanted to know, secretly hoping that he would say yes.

"Not only will I be here but we'll also leave together for our next assignment, so I was told."

Her lips curved in a contented smile and she rested her head over his chest moments later. "It's been a lovely day!"

Andrew nodded slowly, with a pensive yet smiley expression on his handsome face. "You're perfectly right, angel..." he looked down at her, noticing that her bright brown eyes were still open and that she was probably reliving the events of the day. "And, erm..." The blond angel cleared his throat, visibly selecting his words. "Do you think you'll sleep right now? I mean, you've been in human form since we got here and could be tired..."

Slightly amused, Monica looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "And why exactly are you asking me this?"

"Well, I was just checking..."

She lowered her voice, playfully trying to add a tone of suspense to her next words. "Are you planning to go on a 'night excursion' through the woods?"

He gave her an amused smile, aware of her joking mood. "As a matter of fact, I'm not. What happens is that all this talk about happy moments in human form kept me wondering how we could keep on exploring the human form perks once we are on Earth!"

"Ah, I see..." She said, clearly capturing his mischief and with a hint of it herself. "And do I sense you have something on your mind?"

"Hum... actually, I do..." he lowered his voice and whispered against her ear. "...And we only have to go inside so that you can find out what it is!"

Giggling, the Irish angel inched closer and rested her palm on his face, and then kissed his lips lovingly, affectionately, grateful for that day and for the opportunity to have her eternal valentine by her side, either they were walking on the fields of God or enjoying his beautiful creations down on Earth.

X

To be continued.


	66. Family Matters

Angel of Mine Series

Episode 66: Family matters

The Irish angel stood on her feet inside the lovely white fenced gazebo admiring the view of the park, where entire families used to go during the bright summer days just like that one. Her soft brown eyes scanned her surroundings and registered every excited child's laugher, the enamoured look in the young couple's eyes and the serenity on old people's face. It was one of those moments when she felt the intensity of God's love for His children up to the point to make them worthy of His wonderful creations.

The little ones were in great number there, thanks to the school vacations, and they especially entertained the angel who had so many childlike traits in her personality – which only made her even more adorable for those who loved her. Monica tilted her head during her contemplation and it was then that she felt a loving presence standing right behind her.

She smiled but remained at the same place as he gave a step forward. "I have always loved springs, you see. Everything is calm and regaining life that has been lain dormant during the coldest days. But when summer comes, life becomes so intense. There is so much joy, so much passion filling the air!" She said, dreamy eyes shining with the extra light emanating from her soul.

Chuckling at her philosophical mood, Andrew gave one more step and gently placed both hands on her waist. He took his time breathing in the sweet perfume exhaling from her hair and finally spoke.

"I take it there is a certain angel around here who is quite inspired today!" The angel of death spoke, secretly tracing the outline of her jaw and nose up to her eyelashes while she contemplated the park.

Monica let out a contented sigh and kept on looking ahead. "I guess you might be right, Andrew. It's impressive how God's beautiful creations can do that to us, isn't it?"

Smiling, Andrew gently turned her around so that she could face him. "I couldn't agree more. Some of those beautiful creations just... take my breath away..."

Monica's soft brown eyes held his gaze and seemed to keep him hypnotised as he reached out to stroke her face, his caress as gentle as the kiss that followed once his lips met hers softly and tenderly. That was one of those moments they wished time stood still so that they could prolong it for as much as possible before coming back to reality. Andrew had been away for nearly a week and although she felt in her heart that their connection remained strong, the Irish angel would always long for the day they would be reunited.

When they pulled a few inches away, Andrew still nuzzled her cheek before Monica spoke again. "I know of a beautiful little creation who will be very pleased to see you around!"

Chuckling, both angels looked ahead and watched as their dearest friend and supervisor walked towards them. And Tess' attentive eyes were on the little angel whose short legs attempted to run as fast as possible, even though quite clumsily, in order to reach the gazebo. Andrew gave Monica a gentle squeeze and climbed down the four steps to greet Angela with a warm embrace.

"Hey, my little angel! I missed you so much, sweetie!" He said, lifting her up in his arms and then kissing her cheek, enjoying her sweet baby laughter.

"And you can be sure this little angel girl here missed you just as much!" Tess spoke, pleased to see the reunion. "She might not know the words to say it yet, but one can see in her eyes that she was anxious to be in your arms again!"

"I just hope I have the chance to stay until she falls asleep..." He said, not taking his eyes from Angela's matching ones, holding her small hand in his own.

Happy to see father and daughter together, Monica joined them a second later and did not miss the opportunity to tickle Angela's belly, receiving some more of her baby giggling in reply.

"Well, then I'm afraid you will be able to tell her not only one but a few bedtime stories, angel boy!"

The oldest angel's words called their attention and they turned curious eyes at her. "What do you mean, Tess?" Monica wanted to know.

"Andrew isn't here because he had some free time from his duties as an angel of death. You've actually been assigned to a new mission, baby."

"I have?"

"Yes. Actually, all of you have been chosen to perform this task!"

Monica and Andrew looked at each other, now with questioning eyes. "I don't get it, Tess... I was told that I should be back at five..." He said.

"Your previous assignment has just been given to some other angel. You, Monica and Angela will be heading to the north of the city... right now!"

X

Sometime later...

"This is such a beautiful house, Tess..." Monica's remark came along with her admiration for their surroundings. The angels were now walking along a stone path that crossed a bright and colourful garden and led them to the interior of an imposing country house, still without knowing much about their next steps.

"It is, angel girl. But do not fool yourselves. Sometimes so much beauty can work as a shield so that others don't see the sadness that surrounds it."

"Why is that so, Tess?" Andrew wanted to know, frowning with concern.

"That's what you will find out, babies. I'll see you around!" Saying that, the supervisor disappeared at the very moment that the front door was opened and a young man greeted them.

"Good morning. I didn't know the agency would send a butler and a maid so fast!" He said, motioning for them to enter. "I'm Edward, Mr Kingsley's nephew."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Andrew and this is my wife, Monica, and our daughter, Angela." The couple of angels greeted him and did not miss the slight worry in his eyes when he looked at Angela.

"You have a baby... That's... Well, that's unusual..."

"I'm afraid I don't understand..." Monica wanted to know, still a wee bit confused at the speed that things were happening on that assignment.

"Please, forgive me if it sounds a little too harsh but the truth is that my uncle isn't very fond of children. Actually, he doesn't like people in general." The young man replied, walking ahead of them across a huge living room and not noticing the way Monica and Andrew exchanged a puzzled gaze.

"He doesn't... doesn't like children?" Andrew repeated Edward's words, still finding it hard to believe that his assignment could have this attitude, even though he himself had existed long enough to know this was not uncommon to human beings. Besides this, there was a clear concern on having an assignment who did not acknowledge children when his own baby girl would be with him and Monica for that meantime.

"No. No kids, or babies, no animals, music or dancing. Everything in this house has to remain quiet and still." The young man stopped in front of wooden double doors sculpted with sophisticated patterns.

"Then perhaps this may be a wee bit of a problem..." the Irish angel spoke, equally worried about Angela's presence.

"You guys really don't have anybody to take care of the baby?"

"We actually have someone who watches over her but I'm afraid she's not available right now." Monica explained.

"Well... alright. Just bear in mind that Mr Kingsley might not accept you. But since you're the fourth couple of maid and butler who comes to work here over the last year, then I think he could be a little flexible."

Monica's eyes searched for Andrew's ones once again, and the blond angel could see a mix of uncertainty and even disbelief on what they were doing there.

But Edward's quick knock on the heavy wooden door and a hoarse voice replying from the inside drew back their attention and they saw a grey-haired old gentleman sitting on a chair behind a huge oak table.

"Excuse me, uncle Jonathan. These are Monica and Andrew." Edward politely announced.

They were in the library and for some split second were impressed at the collection of books and maps that were carefully displayed on the walls. Apparently in his late seventies, the man was wearing a dark suit and had a walking stick nearby and if his face was already a stern one, when he saw Angela, his eyebrows knitted together in slight annoyance.

"I'm not buying anything and my money is not available for charity." He grumbled, replacing the glasses he had taken off when his nephew came in. "You should know that by now, Edward!"

"Oh, no, they're not here for that. The agency sent them, they're your new butler and maid."

Those words called the old man's attention and made him remove his glasses once again. "Oh!... About time! But... What about this child?"

Angela had been in Monica's arms and was entertained with a lock of her auburn hair when Mr Kingsley gaze called her attention. And contrary to what would be expected for a baby, she smiled at him, which caused her parents to make a little effort not to laugh.

"Angela is our daughter, sir." The Irish angel spoke, her soothing accent seeming to reach more than his ears - it was as if she had spoken to his soul.

The image of the auburn lady holding the cute little baby girl managed to touch his heart in such a troubling way that made him frown.

"I thought I had been clear with the agency about employees with children."

Monica gave a step forward. "Well... She's a very calm and quiet child, sir. I believe you'll hardly hear her around."

After long seconds staring at mother and child, the old gentleman shook his head and averted his eyes. "You can start today. This library needs a good cleaning."

Saying that, he stood on his feet and, with the help of his walking stick, left the room.

The couple looked at Edward and received a smile from him. "Well, you heard it!"

**X**

Mr Kingsley's nephew took them up to the employees' house, through a stone trail that crossed a long and beautiful back garden. And along the way he told them the routine of the house and his uncle's schedule. He explained that Mr Kingsley was a retired History and Geography professor who had spent his life travelling around the world conducting researches for the University.

"Ah, an explorer!" Monica spoke, finding the idea a rather adventurous and exciting one.

"Yes, that's true. The clearest memories I have of my uncle is either his leaving or arriving from a distant country with a suitcase in his hand."

"It might be kind of exciting for a boy to have a close relative who tells him about great trips to distant places." Andrew spoke, opening the door of the house for Monica and Angela.

"Yeah, it might be. I'm not really sure, Andrew." The young man spoke. "You see, I lost my parents very early and uncle Jonathan, my father's brother, was my only relative alive. He became my tutor but I grew up in a boarding school."

"I'm sorry." The blond angel said.

"That's okay." The young man replied, without giving that fact much importance. "When I finished my studies I came to live here for a while as I was building my office not far from here. Anyway, I'm getting married in a week, so soon it'll be only the old Mr Kingsley in this house."

Monica managed a slight smile at that piece of news. "Congratulations on your wedding."

"Thanks. I'll leave you guys settle down and you can meet me within an hour or so."

X

The rest of the day went by without new events for the angels and their grumpy assignment, who retired at his office until late at night, when Andrew's tasks were finally over and he headed to the employees' house, where Monica came to greet him carrying a rather excited little Angela in her arms.

"She insisted on waiting for you!" The Irish angel spoke, handling him the smiling little girl.

"Hey, sweetie... Don't you know it's bedtime for little angels here on earth?" He said, kissing her cheek as she happily settled down in his arms.

"It seems this wee one knows exactly the best and most comfortable place to fall asleep!" Monica spoke, and both watched the little angel using her father's shoulder as a pillow.

The staff's house was divided into a small living room area, a kitchen with an eating area, a bathroom and two bedrooms. They headed to the smaller bedroom where a crib had miraculously appeared an hour before.

"An assignment that allows me to do that every night is more like a present to me than any other thing."

"I know. And I'm happy for both of you and for myself for the chance to remain together. But at the same time I wonder how things will fit since Mr Kingsley does not approve of Angela's presence."

With a serene expression on his face, Andrew gently rocked Angela in his arms, both he and Monica noticing how the little angel quickly gave in to sleep. "I also wonder that myself, angel. There's great sadness in that man's heart, anyone can notice that."

"And now that his only relative is leaving, things tend to be even more painful, even though none of them seem to admit it."

Andrew kissed Angela's cheek and carefully deposited her in the crib. Then, he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and kissed her temple. "Looks like there's a loving family here trying to help a sad one find the joy of being together." He whispered, making her look up at him with a smile.

"Hearing that makes me a wee bit more confident, you know."

"I'm glad to hear it!"

"And... since wee Angela here has gone to bed, I'm wondering if the vacancy in your arms is taken..."

The angel of death gave her an amused smile, enjoying the way she was looking at him. "Well, I have to check that out..."

Standing on the tip of her toes, Monica managed to kiss his cheek, which only made his smile grow wider. "I hope you consider my request with much thought and sympathy..."

"Hum... that's a start!" He said, with a mock thoughtful face that only lasted for a few seconds.

Looking down at his beloved angel girl, he tightened the hold around her, bringing her closer to him, and bent down to kiss her lips very gently and with much love.

X

Despite the size of his property, Mr Kingsley did not use to go outside and walk along the garden very often. Truth to be told, the old professor seemed to care very little about the landscaping and outside decoration, and mechanically kept a gardener coming to take care of it twice or three times a month, paying for its maintenance much more for the sake of keeping the house value. That Saturday afternoon was one of the rare occasions in which the old gentleman left the house to merely take a walk along the stone path that spread along green bushes and colourful flowers, passing by a stone fountain and a white gazebo.

During his brief stroll, Mr Kingsley's memory went back in time, when his nephew Edward would run among bushes and trees playing with his toys. The boy became his only family after Kingsley's brother had passed away in a car accident, along with Edward's mother, and despite the professor's distance towards that child, there was always great care written in his eyes as he watched the boy playing along the house.

A flashback of the past that for a moment seemed to regain life and present itself right in front of him. The old gentleman stopped his silent walk as he heard Monica's soothing voice and the baby giggling that followed it. From where he was, Kingsley could watch as the young maid walked along the stone path and showed her wide-eyed baby daughter some colourful pansies.

But the little girl's attention suddenly turned to the man standing not far from them and she looked back at her mother with a questioning face.

"Good afternoon, Mr Kingsley." Monica politely greeted him.

"Good afternoon. I thought you'd be busy with the cleaning of the house." The sour remark was not enough to fool a trained eye like Monica's. The man was again trying to hide his melancholy.

"It's my lunch time, Mr Kingsley. And I took the opportunity to show wee Angela your beautiful garden. She liked it since the first time we stepped on it, almost a month ago."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I wasn't aware of this schedule. I... I'll go back to my office then."

"Oh no, please stay. It's a very beautiful afternoon and it should not be spent indoors. Plus, it's your garden and you should enjoy it as much as you like. I'm heading back to my tasks soon."

"Yes...It's indeed a beautiful place." He said, looking around them.

"You must have very good memories of it. Edward told me he grew up in this house and used to love playing around."

"I...believe so. The research work for the university took a great part of my time so we did not meet very often as the years went by."

Eying him with compassion, Monica took little Angela in her arms and once again that image seemed to affect him. "I understand. Even so, Edward holds great respect and admiration for you, sir. I'm sure he will miss your company when he gets married. It's only a week for the ceremony."

"I don't think there's been such a strong connection between my nephew and me."

"Perhaps too much sternness might frighten a young child and put a curious young man at bay..."

"Oh, now you're telling me that I've been a difficult and bitter person?" The man spoke, slightly bothered by her comment.

Somewhat expecting that reaction, the Irish angel kept on speaking. "You are each other's family, Mr Kingsley, and even if you were busy you still took care of him the best way you could. I'm sure Edward recognises it."

She gave a step closer to him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "And I feel the image of a wee boy turning around the Earth globe you have in the library and making you as many questions as his seven-year-old knowledge allowed is equally dear to your heart."

The man eyed her with surprise and was going to make a comment on her remark, but he gave it up a moment later. The old professor turned his gaze to Angela, who looked back at him and smiled. "Your daughter...she's indeed a very quiet child."

Her smile remained. "Oh yes, she is. But if you ask me, wee Angela is quite fond of you."

"I don't see how that can be possible!"

"Perhaps it's because she feels that your heart is secretly filled with tenderness whenever you look at her and a wee baby boy who came to live with you soon after he lost his parents comes to your mind."

"It seems to me that you are very romantic and sentimental, young lady."

"You're right, I am. But I also have another ability, which is to see the past constantly crossing your mind, Mr Kingsley."

"I beg your pardon?"

Monica's eyes never broke the contact with his ones as she spoke. "Tell Edward how much he means to you. Tell him that even though you sounded like a difficult person at times, you were always watching over him as years went by. It will be the best present he could ever receive, I can assure you."

Visibly taken by surprise at those words, the old gentleman let out a slight sigh. "I...think it might be too late for that..."

"This is not true. Your nephew is very close to you, all it needs is a little unattachment."

"Unattachment?"

"From fears and bittersweet memories."

Saying no more, Monica excused herself and walked away from Mr Kingsley, who kept on looking at the image of a mother carrying her baby along that garden and trying not to show how that vision still affected him.

X

After the conversation with Monica, Mr Kingsley retired to his office and remained there for the rest of the afternoon. From the window, he still watched as his nephew placed a bag with personal objects inside his car and left, probably heading to his new home on the other side of the town. Edward and his fiancée were working on the last details of their new house and soon the young Literature teacher would be gone for good, leaving his old uncle with the employees.

"Excuse me, sir."

Andrew's voice coming from the office door took the man's attention back to the present. "Sorry to interrupt, but your tea is served." The angel politely informed.

Mr Kingsley gave a slight nod and took a seat behind his opulent oak table, on which an album of old photos rested open.

"And Edward asked me to tell you he won't be joining you. He's-"

"Gone to his new house. I just saw him leaving."

"Exactly." Andrew made a short pause, wondering if the old gentleman wanted to tell him anything, but after a brief silence, he decided to leave. "I'll be in the dining room in case you decide to come downstairs..."

"Is it really worth it, Andrew?" Mr Kingsley suddenly asked.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, sir."

"You have a family of your own. But everybody knows that sharing a life with other people is not like living in paradise all the time. Matter of fact, I wonder if there are any moments of genuine peace and joy a week or two after a marriage."

There was a mix of bitterness and irony in the man's voice but Andrew's lips curved in a slight smile.

"It depends on whether or not you put your heart on it – if there's genuine interest on both parts to spend a lifetime together. And genuine interest means selfishness and much love. With these two elements combined, you have a very blessed union."

"So you mean a person should just give up on his dreams?"

"Absolutely not. Dreams are very important. But when they become more important than those you love, then it's time to ask yourself if you really love them or if you're not being too selfish to realise what's going around you."

"So you think it's worth it."

Still smiling, Andrew gave a few steps closer, not missing the family album open on the table. "It is worth every day of my existence. Monica is my soul mate and I was blessed not only with her love but also with a beautiful baby daughter – something we never thought would be possible for us."

"You tell me that now but I wonder what's like to have to put up with baby's crying, a woman's bad mood, the routine and being forced to do what you don't really want to do such as buying grocery, cleaning the car, painting the house..."

Andrew could not help but chuckle at the man's bad mood and shook his head. "Even though Monica and I don't have to do these things you've just listed, and despite the fact that Angela hardly ever cries, I wouldn't mind having to deal with these, Mr Kingsley. Because I love them with all my heart and I miss them terribly when they're away. And I, forgive me for saying that, but I think you are familiar with feeling, as your nephew's absence might cause you great loneliness."

"I don't know why you came to this conclusion."

"I beg to differ. Otherwise you wouldn't be looking at an album with old pictures just now that Edward is about to leave this house."

"What are you and your wife? Mind readers?"

"No. But we've got a lot of experience in dealing with people."

"When Edward came to live here he was about as old as your daughter. Except that there was no one to take care of him. I... had my own job to worry about and was incredibly busy most of the time. So I hired a nanny. Tess was her name." He frowned at that memory. "A very... peculiar lady, I must say."

"But even incredibly busy, you still had time to follow his first steps." Andrew pointed out.

"I wasn't that loving uncle." He was defensive, not wanting to reveal his true feelings.

"If you weren't, then why looking at old photos just a few days before Edward's marriage?"

"I... was just checking something."

"Perhaps the fact that there isn't one single photo of Edward's mother pregnant with him?" The blond angel spoke, casually running his eyes on the album that rested on the table and making Mr Kingsley look at him with surprise written on his face.

"How do you..."

But before he could keep on speaking, a beautiful glow involved the butler's form, finally revealing his heavenly nature.

"What..."

"I'm an angel, Mr Kingsley. And so are Monica, Angela and even Tess, the nanny who looked after Edward when he was a little boy. The one who taught him to admire his uncle even if he wasn't around most of the times."

"Angels? Real angels?" The man rose to his feet, still not believing what was happening right before him.

"Yes. We were all sent by God to your home with an assignment to fulfil, Mr Kingsley."

"God? I... never really considered His existence as a fact..."

"Oh, but know that He's as real as you. As real as everything you've achieved in your life."

The old man fell silent for a couple of seconds, his eyes lost in thoughts as he considered what had just been revealed to him. Then he turned to face Andrew again. "And why would someone like me be granted with God's attention and His angels?"

"Because you are His son and He loves you." Andrew replied. "Just like a father should love his son."

Those words suddenly meant more to the man than Andrew himself could ever imagine. After a moment of silence, the blond angel kept on speaking. "Angela... she was brought here to bring you some old memories back – memories and emotions that had long been forgotten. And I came here with a message. Let your nephew know that in your way, you cared about him and that you are proud of the man you became."

"I... I'm afraid he would never forgive me for being so distant and cold...and I know he will not believe it if I tell him all those things you've just listed..."

"If you keep on believing this, you'll be forever condemned to live along in this house, talking to photo albums. But if you sum up the same courage that made you climb mountains, cross deserts or face dense forests, to tell Edward how much he means to you, you might find the greatest treasure of your life."

Mr Kingsley shook his head with disbelief. "I don't think that would be that easy."

But before they could say anything else, a third voice was heard in the study room.

"There is something that might give you the extra courage to do so, Mr Kingsley."

A glowing Monica entered the room, filling it with more brightness and an atmosphere of greater peace. Even being in the middle of an assignment, Andrew took a moment to admire her heavenly form, long auburn locks which cascaded over her small shoulders and slender arms, making a perfect contrast with her white dress and at the same time, matching those beautiful brown eyes that could convey so much of her sweet character.

Monica walked up to her soul mate, returning his loving gaze, and then turned to the old professor, who seemed to be still in shock at what had been revealed to him so far.

"Monica..." He managed to say.

"Mr Kingsley, as Andrew told you, we've been sent here to open your heart to the love you've always kept away from everyone, since the day you were told that Edward's mother passed away."

Hearing that made the old gentleman's eyes grow wide with surprise. "Eileen?"

"It was revealed to me by the Father Himself. Eileen was a young woman with no family or friends but whose positive attitude towards life enchanted an equally young man, a professor who was starting a brilliant career."

Monica's words brought tears to the man's eyes as he relived the events that had long been left in the back of his memory. "She was so young..." He murmured.

"And you loved her dearly..."

He nodded with defeat. "Yes, I did."

"But then you had to leave on a trip to the other side of the world you didn't even say goodbye."

"I couldn't! I didn't have the courage to! And there isn't one day that I don't regret it!"

"Eileen was broken-hearted but she found the strength to move on with her life in God's love and found great support and reassurance in your brother's love." The Irish angel spoke. "What you don't know, Jonathan Kingsley, is that Eileen was already pregnant when you left."

The old man's heart started to beat frantically. "What are you telling me, Monica?"

"Edward is not your nephew. He is your son."

Even Andrew was surprised at that revelation even though a lot of things became clear to him now, as if the last piece of the puzzle had finally been placed.

"My son?"

With tear filled eyes, Monica nodded with emotion. "Yes. And even though you could not show Edward how much you care for him, be certain that he is grateful to you, Mr Kingsley, and holds no resentment towards you."

"He doesn't know the truth..."

"And neither did you. But what God wants from you now is to handle this precious gift with care and respect." She gave a few steps closer to the man and, with a smile, covered his trembling hand with hers. "And you are the one to tell him all about it. Edward has a generous and loving heart, Mr Kingsley, so do not hold on to any fear or uncertainty. There should not be any space for that between the two of you, because you are a family."

With tears falling from his eyes, the man nodded his head in understanding, humbly accepting the angel's words and shooting a grateful look at both Monica and Andrew. "Thank you...thank you so much..."

X

Edward was surprised to find his grumpy uncle awake when he got back home later that night. And even more amazed at the fact that Mr Kingsley was waiting for him outside.

With a smile, Andrew was watching as father and son headed inside the house and suddenly felt a pair of slender arms wrapping around his own. His smile grew wider and he immediately turned to his side, covering Monica's hand with his.

"Isn't it amazing how God makes each family perfect in its own way?"

"It certainly is, angel. Mr Kingsley and Edward will have a lot to catch up with but I can tell you these two have just got great present today!"

"Oh, yes, they have. And I can see that some years from now the old grumpy Mr Kingsley will be walking in this same garden with an adorable baby girl in his arms – his first granddaughter!"

"Bet she will have him wrapped around her little finger!" Andrew added. "Talking about it, where's Angela?"

"Tess is with her and they're waiting for us in our earthly house."

Chuckling, he nodded his head and could easily picture the supervisor doing everything to please her "angel baby," and this image was not much different from the one Monica had just described about their now finished assignment.

"I just hope Mr Kingsley understands how precious the gift of having a family of his own is..."

Smiling, Monica stroked his handsome face with tenderness. "I think God chose the best angel to tell him so."

"Couldn't have done it without you, my precious angel."

Monica shook her head. "I was just there to deliver a piece of information. You were the one who opened this old gentleman's heart to the miracle he was just granted with."

Saying that, she stood on the tip of her toes and brushed a tiny kiss against his lips.

Feeling his heart filled with utmost love, he kissed her both hands. "A cosy cabin hidden in the mountains, a great friend and my two favourite angel girls...So many blessings that I don't think I can thank the Father enough."

The blond angel wrapped his arm around Monica's shoulders and the two started a small walk along the garden, disappearing a few seconds later.

X

To be continued


End file.
